


Beauty and the Beasts

by MutantsandSoldiers



Series: Marvel PolyShip Bingo 2020 [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Attempted Murder, Blindfolds, Blood Drinking, Boundaries, Boys Kissing, Consensual Sex, Demons, Dom/sub, Enthusiastic Consent, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, Fae & Fairies, Fear of Death, Gags, Handcuffs, Kissing, Magic, Multi, Oral Sex, Overstimulation, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Polyamorous Pack, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Potions, Rough Sex, Spanking, Spreader Bars, Triggers, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Vampire Bites, Vampires, Were-Creatures, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:48:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 26,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24981847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MutantsandSoldiers/pseuds/MutantsandSoldiers
Summary: After being chase into the forest by her village, Evelin finds herself in a fantastical castle full of the world's most dangerous Night Creatures. She has nowhere else to go so decides to make a life in this strange new place with a multitude of strange beings. Along the way, she learns more about herself and the outside world.
Relationships: Ben Reilly/Natasha Romanov, Ben Reilly/Steve Rogers, Ben Reilly/Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Original Female Character, Ben Reilly/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Natasha Romanov/Female OC, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Series: Marvel PolyShip Bingo 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808266
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31
Collections: Marvel Polyship Bingo 2020





	1. I Fell Into Your Snare

**Author's Note:**

> Couple of notes about this piece:  
> ~ This is a fill for the MarvelPolyShipBingo  
> ~ This chapter fills the square: Beauty and the Beast  
> ~ Evelin Jager is an Original Character that I use in Out of Hell but you don't have to read the original fic to understand anything in this fic.  
> ~ Most, if not all, chapters will fill a Bingo square.  
> ~ No beta, sorry!

Evelin’s breath came out as white clouds. The cold was biting, brutal even, through the thick jacket she was wearing. Someone was shouting through the forest behind her, the light of fire flickered in the distance and her feet were starting to go numb. 

“Can’t stop,” she sobbed, tears freezing on her cheeks as she pushed through the falling daggers of ice. Her face was so cold. She was so tired. “Can’t...stop…” 

Her legs gave out under her and she fell to her knees in the snow. The cold liquid seeped into her white smock even as she was trying to get up. Her chest was heavy with dread, the sounds coming closer and closer. 

Then, it got worse: 

The howl of a wolf in the distance. 

She could hear someone’s muffled shouting through the gale of wind. The fire, when she checked, was disappearing the opposite direction. The villagers knew better than to walk through the snowy forest when the howl of a wolf was heard. The pack in this woodland was far from normal and walked as men during the day but during the full moon… 

Glancing up, she yelped when she found herself staring at a dark figure. How had he gotten so close without making a sound? She looked up and found the man cloaked in the shadow of the overcast night. Her heart hammered in her chest as her hair whipped back and forth against her face. 

She screamed when she heard the telltale sound of wolves rushing through the trees just out of her vision. Her heart would surely explode from the anxiety even as a loud, low, bone-rattling roar pierced through the air. There was the sound of skittering even as a tall, dark shape came through the trees to her right. 

It was humanoid but covered in gleaming, alabaster fur, it’s legs were turned the wrong way, and it was definitely not human as it raised its muzzle up towards the hidden moon and howled. It made her whole body shudder in some primal fear that had her legs finally working. 

She rushed away from the two of them. Deep inside her lizard brain, the part of her that most people assumed was gone from the days of stalking through forests full of monsters...she knew. 

Glancing over her shoulder, the air is knocked right out of her as she plows bodily into a hard, immovable wall. She tumbled backwards only to be caught by the front of her smock and jerked forward. Her hands came out to keep herself steady as she looked up at the creature. 

As if by fate, the clouds dispersed enough for the moonlight to slowly cascade across the front of the creature revealing his appearance. She felt her blood run cold as she looked up on the pale, marble skin, strong features, a wicked scar across the man’s face and those eyes...they sent a thrill of terror through Evelin...those eyes that glimmered with an amusement she couldn’t fathom. It was like he was gazing down at a bug, hardly significant, and wished nothing more than to squash her. 

She went to pull away but his hands were iron on her waist, keeping her in place. The corner of his mouth lifted, just enough, for a silver fang to peek out. Her eyes wouldn’t look away as he ran his tongue across it. 

There was a sound that alerted her to the wolf-beast walking up on them. Her head turned to glance back but one of those ice-cold hands jerked her head forward with just a few thin fingers. “Don’t worry about him, Evelin, focus on me,” he whispered in a voice that was both silk and venom. 

Her blue eyes looked at him before she could resist. His dark, stormy cobalt eyes were full of promises and emotions too ancient to truly understand. She found herself getting lost, her body going limp in his grasp so that he had to wrap his arms around her waist to keep her from dropping. Almost through her mind she heard him say: 

_Sleep._

Evelin suddenly felt more tired than she had ever felt in her entire life. Her body practically melted in his arms and her head fell forward to rest against his chest. An arm under her legs and an arm cradling her head gently against his chest, she felt herself being lifted even as something warm was thrown over her achingly cold body. 

_You are safe._

[ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_j6cEsfUc_uK64O51DxzPWRh84dS1j_9W24cgUq1ehvIFcDi8jRGWWzFVsLxZq6zr4sWniB591TV_cdNrWxmONVoBk6r7X9z65XCXZLcJJ4Zj1_ZwUFh48s101BgaPt-MZ9INRpL=s100-p-k?source=screenshot.guru) [ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RRdGR3qHBlWKECFSGZ3bim5DSAR_smI0jUUv8AZeEOZvkAdaacxzzPwnOtGmyXE4XBRxvTbTUyrS7mIH8YJqXxrGKHBuciKsDUCrPN8_q740vJHXTpUj4d81oIBMJCR_WGzzENcw=s100-p-k?source=screenshot.guru)

She came back to consciousness slowly. 

The first thing she noticed was how comfortable she was. The place she was in was warm, exceptionally warm, and her head was resting on some soft, downy material. She fluttered her eyes open to find fur invading her vision. 

Lifting a little, she found that the creature she was cuddling was a giant wolf-dog. It’s white head perked up when it felt her move. They stared at each other for a second. It had this intelligence in its bright blue eyes. Even with that, she found she felt no fear as it leaned closer to her. 

Evelin’s hand shook as she reached out to touch the creature’s head. It was soft and so very warm; it nuzzled into the affection happily. She smiled, despite herself, and gave the beast a good scratching behind the ears. 

“I’m not stupid, you know,” she said still leaned against the creature’s side. Now that the fear and panic were gone, she could think clearly. “Your eyes are far too intelligent to be a normal dog.” 

The creature’s ears popped up straight before it bowed its head a little as if embarrassed or ashamed. It gave a small yip before wiggling its way out from under her. Evelin sat up in the bed, blanket slipping down from her front. She wasn’t wearing the smock anymore but, instead, had a thick, warm nightgown on. 

That meant someone had changed her. 

She had no time to dwell on that thought as the dog went to the door, glancing back at her before leaving her alone. Evelin thought about just staying there but the night’s happenings flashed across her mind, bringing back some of the anxiety. She knew that beast had been the Werewolf she had seen but...what of the Vampire? 

Evelin didn’t know much on the subject of the Night Creatures but she knew that Werewolves and Vampires didn’t get along. They were natural enemies. They hated each other. 

Curiosity got the better of her after a few minutes. She had to awkwardly scoot out of the _enormous_ bed before her feet, which were wrapped in thick wool socks, touched the marble floor. Her legs were a little sore but she found that walking didn’t hurt. She peeked her head out of the door, looking back and forth. 

It was obviously a large castle-like building with marble floors and strong walls made of some kind of stone. She was at the end of a hallway, which led past suits of decorative armor, paintings on the walls and expensive looking trinkets on shelves or tables. Venturing out of the room, she noticed the window to the left of the door was covered in heavy black curtains. 

Running her hand down the curtain, she felt the soft, plush fabric and realized it was velvet. She pulled her hand away quickly. That curtain alone would feed her entire village for a week! 

Looking down the hallway, she took a deep breath and moved. The castle was eerily silent as she made her way down the hallway. She found the hallway took a corner to the right where she stood at a long staircase leading down. The stairs were incredibly sturdy as she made her way below. 

The wall at the railing opened up to show that she was on a curved staircase that led down into a living area of some kind. There were plush, red and black couches and dark wooden tables. The room was decorated with exotic stuffed animal heads and ornate rugs that made the room feel warm and terrifying all at the same time. 

She made it to the bottom of the stairs, eyes still taking in the room. There were two bookcases full of books on one wall, a liquor cabinet in an antique hutch, and a fireplace that had a warm fire crackling pleasantly. Her legs took her to the hearth where she gently lowered herself so she could soak in the warmth. 

Her mind wandered a bit as she watched the fire’s lovely patterns. She knew she should be more afraid; she should be terrified. But she wasn’t. Evelin knew that if either the Vampire or Werewolf wanted her dead...she’d be dead. She didn’t feel like either a Vampire or a Werewolf so they hadn’t turned her. So...why was she here? 

Evelin found herself more curious than afraid. 

“Enjoying the warmth?” 

Evelin jumped nearly out of her skin when she realized she wasn’t alone in the room. Sitting in one of the big armchairs was a gorgeous woman with one long, lithe leg crossed over the other. The woman was dressed in a gown that could hardly be called a gown. It had a black corset with gold and red embellishments that pushed her breasts up perfectly. The red silken skirt was barely long enough for the lace detailing at the hem to reach the middle of her thighs. Instead, a pair of lace trimmed stockings hugged her pale skin and went all the way down her long legs to the black boots that had pointed toes and thick heel with buckles. 

Her hair was fiery red in thick waves that cascaded down around her beautiful face where two bright emerald eyes pierced into Evelin’s soul. She had a lacy choker around her delicate neck that had a bright red gem hanging from it right at her cleavage. Atop her head sat a black, traditional witch’s hat that had a red ribbon wrapped above the brim. There was a spider brooch clipped at just the perfect angle. 

The woman had a glass of some red liquid in her hand as she scrutinized Evelin. She set the glass down on a side table before leaning forward so her arms rested on her legs. “Tell me, little intruder, do you feel better?” the woman said in a voice so thick with poison that Evelin felt her heart race. “No? Too bad.” 

“Nat, don’t scare the poor creature. She just got here,” a voice full of humor said. It caught Evelin’s attention to a stunning man standing with one shoulder leaned against the wall. His hair was platinum blond and shimmered even in the dim light of the space. It was cut short, buzzed in intricate designs at the side of his head right above his dramatically pointed ears. His eyes were the brightest brown Evelin had ever seen; they glinted gold in the flickering light of the fire full of mirth and mischief. 

All of that combined with his tall, lean body full of subtle musculature alerted her to the fact that he wasn’t human. He looked Fey. “Are you...a Fairy?” she found herself asking before she could stop her mouth from running. 

“Good eye on this one,” the man whistled, pushing off the wall and walking over to sit by her side. The unnatural grace that he moved with was both awe inspiring and unnerving. His aura smelt of clover and the morning air right before the sunrise when the world was calm and the dew had just settled on the grass. “I’m Clint.” 

She found her hand gently being brought to his lips. His skin was neither warm nor cold but a kind of middle ground that was exceptionally comfortable. Her cheeks flushed brightly as his golden eyes looked up into hers. “I’m Evelin,” she finally found the coherency to say. 

“How very ordinary,” the Witch said from her armchair, grumpy. 

“Don’t mind Natasha,” Clint smiled, showing off perfectly white teeth. “She is _not_ a morning Witch!” 

Evelin looked down a little as the man released her hand before realizing she was sitting around in her nightclothes while these two were fully dressed. “What time is it?” she asked, noticing all of the windows down here also had heavy curtains on them. 

Natasha waved her hand. “It’s almost sunset. You slept the day away.” 

She had slept all day? “Wait...morning person? It’s night, shouldn’t you be going to bed soon?” she questioned, embarrassed when the two laughed at her. Her face warmed just a bit but she didn’t say anything, merely waited for them to compose themselves. 

“Oh, you are a cute one, aren’t you?” Clint chuckled, grinning crookedly. “We all prefer living during the night, Evelin.” 

Evelin looked at the Fairy for a second before asking the question that was on her mind. “How many...of you are there?” 

Someone cleared their throat and Evelin found herself looking over at a very...ordinary looking man. He was just at average height with corn-straw blond hair and a strong jaw. She could tell from where she sat that he was strong, with arms that bulged against the nice, off-white button-up shirt he was wearing. It wasn’t until she looked at his eyes that she recognized him. 

“The wolf-dog!” she smiled, standing up without thinking to walk over to him. His face went from neutral to shocked then to slight embarrassment, which was definitely not an expression she ever thought she’d see on a fearsome Werewolf. “Thank you for keeping me warm last night.” 

He gave a small smile as he tilted his head at her. “It was my pleasure,” he said, voice calm and sweet. He shot a glare over her shoulder at the snickering people near the hearth. “You can call me Steve, if you like.” 

“Steve...horrible name for a dog,” she teased, finding herself at ease around him. Sure, the image of him standing on his hind legs, claws flexed and muzzle pointed at the moon flashed through her mind but...she let it go. She would be dead if not for this creature. 

Steve’s face lit up with his laughter. “Yeah, well, I was named Steve before I could become the dog!” 

They laughed for a second before she reached out to take his hand. “Thank you, Steve, for saving me. I definitely would not have made it...had you not come along. I truly appreciate your kindness,” she said, looking up at him shyly. 

There was a moment of silence between the four of them. She could feel that there was something not said, some kind of taboo, but she wasn’t sure if it was what she had or hadn’t said. Looking from Steve who looked a little surprised, to Clint who was grinning wickedly and then to Natasha who was working her jaw around something...she had no idea what it was. 

“Are you four quite done?” 

Evelin recognized the voice instantly, eyes jerking up to look at the man leaning on the staircase banister casually. His eyes glinted in the light of the fire as he slowly started to walk down the stairs with the grace of someone whose feet hardly hit the ground. He was wearing a simple black button-up shirt and tan breeches with tall, knee-high boots that were laced all the way up. That scar across his face seemed far more striking today. 

She swallowed dryly as he came to stand next to Steve. Even though he was a good few inches shorter than the wolf, he still seemed to loom over her. “I have to admit,” he started, putting his arms behind his back. He circled her, eyes looking her up and down as he went. She suddenly felt like he was sizing her up. “I did not expect you to wake up so calmly, human.” 

Evelin felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when he was out of her vision. He could kill her, she knew that in a visceral way, but she couldn’t bring herself to be cowled. Instead, she turned on a heel to look him straight in the face. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he narrowed them. 

“You wouldn’t have saved my life and brought me here without a reason,” she said firmly, legs definitely shaking. Evelin was just glad she had kept her voice from trembling. “Why not bleed me dry, Vampire? You had the chance. No one would have noted my absence. Why not kill me?” 

The man’s eyes were neutral for a moment before a sly grin started to stretch across his face. She felt her blood run cold as he reached out to trace a long finger across her jawline. “What if I wanted a snack for later? I had, in fact, already eaten before we heard that mob encroaching on our territory,” he pointed out, well within her personal space. She refused to take even one step backwards. 

“Then, do it,” she demanded, pulling at the neckline of her shirt. Her eyes were hard as she looked up at him in defiance; his face was terribly unreadable as his grin started to falter. “Go ahead. It’s not like anyone is too terribly concerned that I was picked up by two night creatures. So fine. Put me out of my misery because I have no home now.” 

She didn’t realize the height of her emotions until a single tear slipped down her cheek. Angry, she quickly raised her hand to wipe at the offending weakness. Evelin was a little shocked to find the Vampire’s thumb catching the tear before her hand could reach it. 

Two strong hands landed on her shoulders, both surprisingly gentle. “What is it you wish to do, then, Evelin? You said it yourself, you have no one looking for you and no home to return to,” Steve whispered from behind her, getting so close she could feel the intense heat radiating off of his body. 

She looked from each of the magical faces in the room. Natasha, the beautiful Witch with a bad attitude; Clint, the magical Fairy with the mischievous grin; Steve, the terrifyingly sweet Werewolf with the kind smile and gentle hands; and the Vampire, full of mystery and danger with the intimidating personality. Then, there was Evelin. A regular human with nothing to offer them; they gained nothing by letting her stay. 

“May...may I stay here?” she found herself asking, much to the shock of the people in the room. “I know I have nothing to offer any of you. I am just an ordinary human with no talents but I can hunt and cook my own food so you don’t need to take care of me. I can help by cleaning.” 

There was a strange moment of silence where the four mythical creatures glanced between themselves. It seemed like they might be having some sort of unspoken conversation. Their glances, the looks, everything was foreign to Evelin. 

It was Steve who spoke up, “We see no problem with that arrangement, Evelin. However, there are some things you need to know about this manor. We can talk over dinner, if you prefer?” 

For someone so fearsome, Steve was quite kind. 

“Sure, that sounds nice,” she smiled, definitely feeling a little lighter than she had before. 

A few hours later, she found herself seated at a large table across from Steve with a rather delicious smelling meal in front of her. She had been given a simple off-white shirt, black trousers and boots; she had no idea who it was from but they fit like a dream. Evelin, truly, felt like a new person in the trousers. Her village had been rather conservative so women were not allowed to wear them. 

“Eat, please, you don’t have to concern yourself with pleasantries here, Evelin,” Steve smiled, taking a bite of his own food. 

Evelin was ravenous. She hadn’t eaten in nearly a day so she just forgot about talking as she shoveled food into her mouth. It was also far more than she would have received in her village; meat was for The Father. 

“So, as I said,” Steve said after he had taken a few bites. “There are some things about this Manor that you should know.” 

She looked up at him as a way of acknowledgement. 

He continued. “Normally, humans are barred from entering because we are all of…” he cleared his throat. “...inhuman origin as you can so plainly tell. I am a Werewolf; Natasha is a Witch; Clint is of the Fey; and Benjamin is a Vampire. There are a few more inhabitants that come around every now and then, but you’ll meet them later. We have all been mercilessly hunted for who we are and became tired of running so we came here. This manor is magically protected to make it harder for Hunters and humans to find.” 

Evelin knew there were people who called themselves Hunters that went around killing monsters. The thought of Steve running from one of those Hunters made her heart ache. He was far too nice, even as a Werewolf, to be hunted. 

“The forest around us is also magically protected to keep humans from coming past the border so...with that being said, if you wish to remain hidden with us, you must _never_ leave the forest,” he said, pausing to take another bite. 

Steve went over the way the manor worked. There were, apparently, invisible servants that did all of the cleaning and could do the cooking. The food had to be caught for the servants beforehand but Steve mentioned he did a lot of hunting in his Wolf form to expend excess energy. 

“There’s one other thing,” he said even as Evelin was finished with her food. She had never had wine before but found the heady taste a delight even as it had her a little fuzzy and warm. Steve looked suddenly embarrassed even as the doors to the dining room were flung open dramatically. Standing in the doorway was the Vampire who casually strode over to sit on the edge of the table next to her, well within her personal space yet again. 

“We have no misconceptions about intimacy in this castle, Evelin,” he continued as if he had heard what Steve was about to say. “We are not ashamed of it, nor, do we keep from satiating our desires here. All who live here are allowed to be intimate with anyone else without fear of jealousy from another party.” 

Evelin felt her heart hammering in her chest even as Steve was interrupting. “That having been said, we would never push you to do anything you are uncomfortable with! If you do not wish to be involved with someone then all you need say is ‘no’,” he explained, shooting a glare at the Vampire. “We just wanted you to know so that if you see something...amiss, you won’t assume the worst.” 

She thought about it for a moment before she shrugged. It was very much like her village but...not at the same time. There had always been something wrong about the way the village was run by The Father. He deemed himself worthy of any person, adult or otherwise, which had always sat wrong with Evelin but...she had no power. She was merely a woman and expected to be docile...until she hadn’t been, then, they had accused her of being a Witch. 

“I don’t...see a problem with that,” she finally said, enjoying the way Steve’s shoulders relaxed visibly. Fiddling with her hands for a moment, she looked up at the two men again. “I can...always say no?” 

Ben reached out slowly to cradle her chin in his lithe fingers, lifting her head until their eyes met. He was staring into her soul for a few seconds before he leaned forward. “You always have a say in what you do with your body, Evelin,” he whispered, voice low and dangerous. “If you say no, they had _better_ stop or you just say my name and I’ll _make_ them stop, understand?” 

His conviction made her heart flutter softly at his conviction. “Thank you, Benjamin,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss his cheek gently. The shock flashed across his face when she pulled back but was quickly replaced by a smooth grin. “I am so thankful for your hospitality and kindness. I will do my best to be useful and pull my weight. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m tired. I’d like to turn in for the night.” 

Standing up, she smiled at Benjamin before walking over to Steve to also place a gentle kiss on his cheek. “Good night, Evelin,” he said, holding her hand for a second. 

She paused at the door, turning to look at Steve. “You were quite warm last night,” she mentioned with a small grin. “I would not be opposed to having a warm, furry body join me again. Just...a thought.” 

Steve’s head perked up even as she turned away to leave the room. 


	2. Something New to Find

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben watches the woman get adjusted to the manor and finds that having a human around is quite distracting when she smells so delicious. Steve tries to help but when they are caught by Evelin, things change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Rating: Explicit  
> ~ Sexual Content  
> ~ Blood Play (Vampire Style)  
> ~ Sexual Exploration
> 
> Marvel Polyship Bingo Fill: "Show Me"

[ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fC0GF9UCDy7aqaRAetEcWvfbi_FMADP5l_22QMD9tDZviQfCorVAOCsj3Legj4S_6SnTNuGYrwkQg4ZfyfCDe8ikpZ-BoVw6n9v-nBp-ybEwltGIF6a3fzLfhWyZ4hXbu01e0jyx=w2400?source=screenshot.guru)

Ben watched as the human slowly became comfortable in the manor. 

She had quickly bonded with Steve, which was normal seeing as the Werewolf still thought of himself as partly human. Truthfully, Ben liked seeing Steve happy. He brushed it aside as a small glimmer of his humanity but he would find himself peeking in on the two as they slumbered past sunset. 

They would walk around the castle talking about silly things. She had a _lot_ of questions about the creatures in the manor. Steve was happy to answer as many as he could and so was, apparently, Clint. She enjoyed sitting by the fire with the Fey creature, chatting away about magic and other things. Clint, being someone who never shut up, was happy to oblige her. 

Natasha had disappeared. That made sense, she hated humans more than Ben did. Clint said she had gone off to find some kind of rare herb or flower up the nearby mountain. She would be back soon. Her trips never took too long. Ben pitied the creature that thought it could eat or even touch the Witch. 

Ben didn’t mind her so much. She was a quiet human who enjoyed hobbies such as exploring when she wasn’t with Steve or Clint. She greeted him whenever they were to cross paths but the Vampire made sure that was rare. 

No, the only problem he had with her was the way she smelled. He wasn’t used to having a human in the manor and her scent was starting to saturate every inch of the large residence. There wasn’t a place he could go, other than private rooms, where he didn’t sense her. 

It wasn’t like she had a horrible odor either. Quite the contrary, she smelt like living blood. He could sometimes _hear_ her heartbeat even when he was in a separate room from her, which was beginning to become distracting. His main diet was the animals that Steve brought in front his hunt such as deer or rabbits. He always brought more than enough for Ben to drink from. 

Now, however, he was completely focused on the human. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Steve asked as Ben was drinking from the deer he had brought in. The werewolf was quite good at hunting the animals to almost death so that Ben wouldn’t have to drink dead blood. Drinking from a dead creature wouldn’t kill him, just...make him ill for a few days but Steve never let that happen. “You seem a little on edge.” 

Ben pulls away from the deer’s throat, accepting the napkin handed over to wipe at his mouth. He was pretty clean when it came to eating but he didn’t want to walk out of here and take the chance of running into Evelin with blood on his mouth. Though, she seemed unphased by most things that went on in the house, he didn’t want to test the waters quite yet. 

“I think having Evelin in the house is making me…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “It’s been a while since I’ve been around a human.” 

Steve winced a little but understood. “I was afraid that would happen,” he sighed. “I could...I mean...we haven’t…” 

The Vampire rolled his eyes at the man. For a guy who could rip someone’s throat out without so much as batting an eye, he still couldn’t talk about sex to save his life. Ben, truthfully, found it endearing if not a tiny bit annoying after all of this time. 

“Steve,” Ben said, chuckling as the man snapped his mouth shut. “We’ve been living together for how long?” 

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, looking up into the ceiling as he thought about the question. “Several hundred years, I’d say,” he finally decided. 

“Four hundred and seventy three to be exact,” Ben scoffed, scooting his chair a little closer to the man. He could see the red starting to bleed from the fair skin of the man’s cheeks down into his neck and chest; Ben loved that. “How do you still have a hard time expressing yourself? Just say it…” he ran a finger down the wolf’s cheek to the column of his neck slowly. 

The man’s face was the shade of a ripe cherry as he looked away for a second. He contemplated even as Ben was leaning forward to get into his space. His cyan eyes finally looked up, catching Ben’s. 

He didn’t use his power to charm very often on anyone unless it was an emergency but Steve was a different story. It helped the man get over his biases, fears and anxieties when they started to creep up on him. They had been together, in this castle, for so long that they trusted one another unlike any other Vampire or Werewolf in the world. Once enemies, they were now not just friends but lovers. 

Steve didn’t fight the trance, his eyes going a little hazy as he looked up at Ben. His whole body relaxed under Ben’s gaze. “Drink from me,” he finally whispered, voice like a prayer. 

A lance of arousal shot through his system and he couldn’t stand the distance between them. He closed the space, smashing his lips against the other man’s viciously. Steve’s moan of pleasure was quickly swallowed when Ben tilted his head to deepen the kiss. 

Steve was hot, almost unbearably so, inside and out. They were polar opposites in that way as their tongues danced. Ben begrudgingly pulled away from the kiss to trail playful nips down the strong column of his neck. Large hands landed on Ben’s waist as he stood up to get a better angle. 

Ben had long since gotten accustomed to his own love of danger. This Werewolf could snap his neck right now if he wanted to...but, instead, here he was, pliant and willing, under the Vampire’s hands. His noises were docile as Ben’s mouth came to the junction where his neck and shoulder met. 

The Vampire opened his mouth, allowing his fangs to elongate to their full length. Steve’s body was trembling in anticipation when the sharp points grazed his skin playfully. Ben held onto the back of the man’s head by the blond hair tightly. 

“Ben,” Steve breathed as fangs pierced flesh. His whole body shuddered harshly as pleasure struck like lightning through his entire system. The moan he let out was delicious. 

Pulling his fangs out, Ben covered the puncture marks with his mouth and drew heavily. The larger man’s body jerked and the hands on his hips clenched with enough strength to be painful. 

The sweet coppery burst of blood had Ben’s body singing with excitement. He drew in again, reveling in the way the man’s body reacted with wanton abandon. Ben’s own erection was painfully straining against his pants. 

“B-Ben, god,” Steve nearly sobbed in pleasure, head pulled back by the other man’s hand still. “So good…” 

Overwhelmed, Ben pulled away quickly so that he didn’t get lost. It would take quite a bit to kill Steve by drinking from him, which is why he didn’t mind drinking from him on occasion. Still, he didn’t want to leave Steve weak for too long. 

Looking down, he smirked when he saw the man’s impressive length tenting the front of his pants. “This was such a great idea, Steve,” he whispers, leaning forward to lick the last bit of blood from the wounds. It sent another shiver across the man’s body. 

A noise from the door made his eyes jerk upwards. He expected to see a rather amused Fairy because, truthfully, it wasn’t unusual to find Clint watching like the creeper. However, he was a little surprised to see a flash of brown hair as the human quickly turned and retreated. 

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath. 

“What?” Steve asked, voice still a little soft but coming down from the high. “What’s wrong?” 

“Evelin was watching us,” he explained, torn between staying and finishing with Steve and going to Evelin to...to what? He had nothing to explain about this situation. 

“Did she see you bite me?” he questioned, a little more alert now. “We should go check on her.” 

Ben groaned loudly. “Why? We don’t have to explain ourselves!” 

Steve’s blue eyes looked up at him with an unreadable expression for a second. “What if she thinks you attacked me, Ben?” 

The Vampire scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest even as the wolf was standing to his towering height. “Like I would do that,” he muttered, irritated. 

“She doesn’t know that,” he said, placing a large, hot hand on the small of his back. “Come on, she’s new to this. She might have questions.” 

Ben threw his head back with another loud groan but allowed himself to be led through the manor. Both men knew she was in her room because they could smell her. They stood for a second outside her door before Steve finally knocked. 

“Evelin? May we come in?” Steve said with a soft, kind tone of voice. After a pause where nothing happened, Steve continued. “We know you saw us and...we just want to make sure you aren’t confused or scared.” 

There was another moment before the door opened just a little. Evelin held onto the door, looking a little embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to watch. I just…” she trailed off. 

“May we come in? We’ll answer any questions you have, Evelin,” Steve gently soothed. Ben had no idea how the man was so patient but kept his mouth shut. 

She hesitated but finally pulled the door open all the way and went to sit on the bed. Steve went right over to sit next to her with a hand on her shoulder. It took a moment but Ben entered the room and closed the door. He leaned against the door, unsure of where this would go. 

Humans could be so predictable but Evelin was hard to read. 

Evelin’s delicate hand rose to touch the two fading marks on the wolf’s neck. “Did...it hurt?” she said, asking a question neither one of them had expected. 

Steve’s cheeks were still a little red but he shook his head. “Not at all,” he smiled, covering her hand with his own. “Vampires’ saliva has a natural numbing agent and…” 

“It acts as an aphrodisiac,” Ben filled in for the stuttering man. Evelin’s eyes looked at him but they weren’t scared or shocked like he expected. Actually, she seemed curious. “It entices prey to stay still and submit so they don’t struggle.” 

She looked up at Steve, “You like it?” 

The man stammers in embarrassment but eventually ends with, “Yes, it feels very good.” 

Ben smirked despite himself. It was nice to hear the man say it out loud. His kind were usually more selfish, taking but never giving. Ben had never been like that, ever. It was one of those reasons he never fit with his own people. 

Evelin was mulling something over in her head, contemplating and debating. Ben couldn’t hear her thoughts but he could sense what she was doing. Human’s heartbeats said a lot about what they were thinking. 

Then, her heart started to hammer wildly. She had obviously come to a decision but Ben couldn’t tell if it was good or bad. And then her eyes were on him. 

“Show me.” 

Out of all the things he anticipated from her, that had never crossed his mind. There was a pregnant silence between the three of them before Ben finally found his voice. 

“What?” was all he could come up with. 

She didn’t look scared or uncertain, at all. “I said, show me.” 

Ben looked at Steve who seemed completely blindsided too. “Evelin, I don’t think you understand what you’re asking,” Steve whispered, trying to keep his words neutral. It didn’t work, Ben could _hear_ the man’s excitement. He _wanted_ Ben to bite her and he wanted to watch. They had known each other too long for him not to know how much of a vouyer the wolf was. 

The woman shook her head. “Is there something I’m missing? Is Ben no longer hungry?” 

That _definitely_ wasn’t a problem as Ben’s canines had already started extending in anticipation. He had been _craving_ the woman’s blood since she had arrived but he never thought she would be okay with him drinking from her. His body was far more honest than he was, it seemed. 

“No, I’m sure he’s not,” Steve continued, noticing how distracted Ben had become. “I just want to make sure you understand what you’re asking of him. He hasn’t drank from a human in a long time, Evelin. It has a kind of-” 

“Steve stays,” Ben said firmly. 

Evelin jumped a little at the tone of his voice, which had dipped low and alluring. It was a conditioned response when he wanted to eat. If he made himself more appealing, his prey would be more willing to let him eat. She didn’t seem scared, just...surprised. 

“Okay...but why?” 

Ben took a few steps towards the woman who, to her credit, did her best not to flinch. He didn’t take offense to the response. It was a primal instinct that the woman probably didn’t understand fully. Humans were adept at survival so there were reactions that were hardwired into their very being. She had obviously never been near a Vampire before enough to control those responses. 

“Steve can pull me off of you just in case I get lost,” he explained, hands balled into fists to keep from touching her. Not yet. He needed full confirmation that she was okay with his terms or he would leave. He refused to be a Vampire that took without permission. “Do you accept?” 

She looked at the ground for a few seconds, contemplating, before locking eyes with him and nodding. “Yes, I accept,” she said, touching Steve’s hand gently. “I want to do this.” 

“It will make you feel euphoric,” Steve said slowly, reaching out to unbutton the woman’s shirt just enough to expose her neck. “Would you object to going further if you feel good? Where is your boundary?” 

Her heart was pounding, distracting the Vampire horribly. He wanted to wait; he needed to wait; but he was so hungry and she was so willing. His nails bit into his palms, the burst of pain leveling him back to the real world. 

Evelin’s cheeks flushed softly. She thought about it before shaking her head. “I’m not sure what you mean,” she said, sounding quite apologetic. 

“Can we kiss you?” Steve clarified. 

The look of shock on her face was almost comical. “Y-Yes.” 

Steve smiled. “Can we take your clothes off?” 

“Yes.” She seemed like she was getting more confident. 

The wolf gently kissed the back of her hand. “Can we touch below the belt?” 

Ben almost rolled his eyes at the subtle way he spoke. He watched though as the woman floundered a little but ended up at, “Yes.” 

“Are you okay with penatrive sex?” he finally asked. 

Evelin’s face was about as red as the brightest ruby. “I...can I get pregnant?” she asked curiously. 

“Not with us,” Ben responded, getting a little impatient. Steve shot him a look that was equal parts understanding and warning. “Neither one of us can have children through procreation. I would have to share my blood with someone for them to become a Vampire and Steve has to bite someone during the Full Moon.” 

A bit of worry drained from her face and she nodded. “Yes, I’m okay with that,” she said, confident even as her voice trembled. 

“Good, very good,” Steve praised her, leaning forward to nuzzle her face gently. “If at any point, you say stop we stop everything, understand? And, for now, I’m going to need you to ask me for things using your words. I don’t want to assume _anything_ while you’re under the influence of Ben’s powers.” 

Evelin nodded, looking a bit antsy. “Yes, okay, I’m ready.” 

Finally. 

Ben moved with the grace and speed of his kind to get on the bed with his back pressed against the headboard. “Come here,” he nearly purred, holding out his hands. He could feel the way their eyes met. His charm seeped into her, causing her pupils to dilate. She didn’t fight it, at all, and slowly turned to crawl over to him. “Turn around and get comfortable.” 

She shuddered but did as she was instructed. Steve followed, coming to sit right in front of her so that he could be close if anything were to happen. “You can...take my shirt off,” she said, voice shaking gently. 

Steve was right there, deft hands undoing buttons until Ben could help pull the fabric from her body. The both paused when she was exposed. She was absolutely _covered_ in scars. Steve’s face was full of shock and confusion. 

“What...what happened?” he asked without really thinking about the question. 

The woman shook her head. “I don’t think we have time for that,” she chuckled, the sound full of mirth despite the fact that her body had at one point been savaged. She didn’t seem at all embarrassed by the marks and even leaned towards Steve. “Come here, Steve.” 

The moment their lips connected, Ben felt molten heat rush through his system. They looked good together. Steve with his strong, masculinity and Evelin with her soft but confident femininity fit together perfectly. Where it probably should have made him jealous...it aroused him instead. 

“I’m going to bite you now,” he rumbled, kissing the spot on her neck that was marred by an ugly, jagged scar. She shuddered even as Steve was tilting his head and stealing her breath away with his tongue. 

He could hear her heartbeat as he opened his mouth to allow his fangs to extend. Her breath hitched as the sharp points of his teeth grazed her skin but she didn’t jerk or flinch. Steve distracted her by cupping her breasts with his large hands so that Ben could slip his teeth into her flesh. 

She gasped, breaking the kiss she had been locked in, tilting her head back to rest against Ben’s shoulder. “Oh god!” she moaned, hands desperately reaching out to cling to Steve’s broad shoulders. 

He pulled his fangs out so that he could cover the wounds with his mouth. His eyes flicked to Steve’s face as if to say, _watch this_ , and sucked at the wound. 

The woman’s cry was pure ecstasy as her body bowed up. 

Ben’s mind blanked out, the sweet rush of blood making his entire body tingle. She tasted far better than he could have ever anticipated. He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her against his chest so she couldn’t get away. 

“Ben, god, please!” she incoherently babbled, not really sure what she wanted. Her hand was suddenly on the back of his head, keeping him close as he took the second drink. Her reactions were almost better than the taste of her blood. “Steve, please!” 

“I’ve got you,” Steve said, voice calm but obviously aroused. “Tell me what you want.” 

Evelin’s hand clenched in Ben’s brown hair. “P-Pants,” she was able to say in between sounds of pleasure. Steve quickly got the woman out of her pants, which left her completely naked. “T-Touch me, please.” 

Both men groaned at the same time at her begging and the smell of her arousal filling the air. Ben knew that if _he_ could smell how aroused she was then it was probably driving Steve crazy. “I’m going to finger you,” Steve explained, rushed and breathless. 

Her body jolted when his fingers brushed across sensitive nerve endings. _One more is enough,_ Ben said to himself, ignoring the ache in his erection as he drew from her one last time. 

Between Steve’s fantastic fingers and the Vampire saliva, she couldn’t hold back a loud yelp as an intense orgasm cascaded across her body. She clung with one hand on Steve’s shoulder and the other on the back of Ben’s head. Steve’s groan was low, almost a rumble, as he leaned forward to kiss her. 

Ben pulled away from her neck, licking at the droplets of blood that beaded on the punctures gently. “How do you feel?” he asked, obviously being facetious. The only sound that came out of her mouth was a whimper of pleasure. “Want us to stop?” 

She shook her head furiously, unable to put together enough words to make a sentence. The two men exchanged a look before Steve was pulling his shirt over his head. Ben took the time to run his hands down the woman’s sides, nipping gently at her earlobe. Her body was a live wire, hot and electric so she jerked as if shocked by his touch. 

“Just wait until you see Steve’s dick,” he whispered into her ear. “It’s just as big as the rest of him.” 

Her face was flushed and she was panting as his hands brushed across her hard nipples. Steve obviously heard and gave an embarrassed noise from where he was at the end of the bed. Evelin’s body was so receptive under Ben’s every touch; it was almost like she was orgasming every time he even lightly brushed her skin. 

Ben tucked his fingers under the woman’s chin to lift her face just in time to see Steve turning towards them. “Look at that,” Ben purred into her ear, letting his eyes trail down the man’s Adonis-like body. “Can you tell he was a farm boy before he became a Werewolf?” 

Then, down to his erect member, twitching and proud in between those beautiful hip bones. It had Ben’s own erection aching. He wanted to bend Steve over the bed later once they had sated Evelin. 

Steve’s cheeks went beet red at the scrutiny from both of them before he finally got up onto the bed. He crawled over to them, leaning into the woman to steal her breath away. Ben could vouch that Steve was amazing at that so he could understand how the woman got lost. 

Ben ran his fingers between the woman’s soaked folds to press on that bundle of nerves right at the top. She gasped into the kiss and the Vampire couldn’t help but admire how wet she was. “You’re pretty worked up, Evelin,” Ben whispered against her neck, feeling the shiver that rippled across her skin. “I can’t wait to watch Steve fuck you senseless.” 

Deft fingers slipped further until he could press two into her wet heat. They went in easy, as expected, and he gently thrust the digits into her. A small sound from the woman was the only warning he got as she clenched around his fingers. 

“I felt that one,” he smirked, looking up at Steve. “I think she’s ready. Are you ready, Evelin?” 

She leaned her head back against Ben’s neck, breathing ragged. “Yes, please.” 

There was a bit of shifting where Evelin was turned around so that she was on her hands and knees. Her eyes, stormy with pleasure, looked up at Ben who was still leaning against the headboard. She was trembling as Steve sidled up behind her; Ben could tell by the flinch when the man’s blunt head brushed across her aching sex. 

Reaching out, he ran a few fingers across her cheek. “Ready?” 

There was a small hesitation but it quickly dissolved when she nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready,” she was able to get out. 

The look of abject ecstasy on her face when the Werewolf pressed into her was...gorgeous. Ben’s breath left him for a moment as the woman’s eyes fluttered, her mouth, just a bit wet, opened in a silent moan, and her back arched downward were all too much. He hadn’t felt like this since the first time he had seen Steve come apart after being bitten. 

He leaned forward just as Steve was fully seated. It wasn’t often that he felt the desire to kiss someone but...in that moment, he knew he had to kiss her. He wasn’t disappointed as a spark flashed across his system when their lips touched for the first time. 

She was warm, pliant and so very willing. Her mouth moved against his as if they had kissed a thousand times before. She yelped when Steve gave the first real thrust and he took advantage of the moment to press his tongue into her mouth. Her hands were on the bed but quickly adjusted so she could hold herself up on his thighs. 

His hand cupped the back of her head, keeping her close even through the noises of pleasure. Steve’s pace was docile, for him, as he kept a steady pace. Ben pulled away, much to the dismay of the woman, pressing their foreheads together. “Want him to go faster?” he asked, nipping playfully at her lower lip. 

“Y-Yeah,” she whimpered, pushing back into another kiss. 

It didn’t take any more than that for Steve to let loose. The sound of skin-on-skin was heaven to Ben’s ears especially when the woman fell apart at the seams because Steve finally found her g-spot. Her arms shook with the effort to keep herself upright while her body was being assaulted by the most mind-blowing orgasms she had probably ever experienced. 

At least, that’s how Steve described the experience. 

“I’m close,” Steve said through gritted teeth, fingers digging into the woman’s hips. He would probably leave bruises but that was normal. 

Leaning forward, he brushed his lips across her ear. “Tell him you want him to cum inside you,” he whispered, giving the Werewolf a devious look. “I promise you’ll be well rewarded.” 

There was a moment of embarrassment but she bit her lower lip and just said it, “P-Please, cum inside me, Steve.” 

As expected, Steve’s whole face changed into something that Ben could only describe as animalistic. His hand pressed against the space between the woman’s shoulder blades, shoving her down until the side of her face was pressed into the bed. The growl he released made Ben’s dick twitch and it was probably a good sign when Evelin made a high pitched sound of pleasure. 

His thrusts were brutal as he slammed into the woman. Ben loved to see Steve in this state; it meant that he felt safe. He never let his beast side come through during sex unless he absolutely knew he could trust you. Earlier, Ben would have found this odd that he trusted the woman so much but now...they had obviously clicked really well. 

The noise Steve made when he finally came was heaven. He had one hand on her hip and the other against her back as he gave one final, powerful thrust that had her screaming recklessly into the bed. It wasn’t a bad scream either, she had _definitely_ liked that. 

They all had a moment of stillness before Steve finally got his wits about him and pulled out. “Evelin, are you okay?” he asked, suddenly very worried as the woman’s body melted into the bed. His hands were gentle as he turned her over so they could see her face more clearly. 

“‘M fine,” she mumbled, eyes already closed. She was obviously coming down from her high and was crashing. It was totally normal for humans. Steve’s high lasted shorter _and_ he didn’t crash because of the whole Lycanthropy thing. “It was good. So good. I think I’m going to sleep now.” 

The two men helped her get under the blankets so that she could cuddle up all nice and warm before leaving her to rest. Steve grabbed his clothes but didn’t bother to pull them on. He knew better than anyone what came next. 

They quickly slipped into a nearby room so that Ben could use his Vampire speed to go to the bedside table. Steve, though fast, was nowhere near the speed of Ben as he was shoved, face first, into the bed. Yes, he was an Alpha Werewolf, but that didn’t keep him from enjoying a good switch. 

Ben used the small vial of lube he had grabbed to slick his fingers. He pressed two of them into the man roughly. Steve’s noise, somewhere between a hiss and moan, wasn’t helping his situation any as his dick strained against his pants. The Vampire worked himself out of the confining clothing and sighed when it was finally free. 

“B-Ben just fuck me,” Steve growled impatiently. 

“As you wish,” the Vamp teased before putting some lube on his length. After so many centuries of fucking the Werewolf, he easily positioned himself and thrust with enough power to slam the man’s legs against the edge of the bed. Steve’s hands clenched in the bedspread desperately as he choked on the sound that escaped his mouth. 

Even with his stamina, Ben wasn’t going to last very long. All the foreplay before this was enough to drive him crazy. He reached down to grab a handful of the man’s hair, pulling him back just enough so Ben could lean down and plunge his fangs into the back of the man’s shoulder. Steve’s body jolted as pleasure rushed through him. 

Only taking one draw, Ben’s speed picked up. The man was clenching around his dick, driving him closer to his climax, and he reached down to grab the man’s erection to help him along. Steve’s noises of pleasure were too much for him as he felt the walls clench and he spilled himself into the man. 

His hand worked at Steve and he licked the droplets of blood from the man’s bite marks to egg him on. It didn’t take too long before the Werewolf was groaning, his length pulsing with his climax in Ben’s hand. 

They sat there for a few minutes, collecting themselves before Ben finally pulled out. They fixed themselves up and Steve got dressed so they could relax on the bed. The night was still young so they weren’t quite ready for sleep. 

“We did the right thing...right?” Steve finally asked softly. 

Ben rolled his head to the side so he could look at the man. For someone so big and strong, he was such a damn softie. “Are you afraid that we did something wrong?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “She wanted to see for herself, Steve.” 

He mulled something over for a second before heaving a heavy sigh. “Those scars…” 

The different shaped marks flashed through Ben’s mind along with a bit of anger. He wasn’t sure what the anger was aimed at yet. “That village is known for it’s strange cultish traditions, Steve,” he explained, shaking his head sadly. “She’ll tell us when and if she’s ever ready to.” 

There was a moment of silence before Steve finally took a breath. “I like her.” 

Ben huffed out a laugh. “No shit,” he teased, reaching out to touch the other man’s hand. “I know, that’s fine.” 

The large hand squeezed gently. “You sure? I know how you feel about humans.” 

Sighing, he looked at the man and nodded. “Yes, Steve, it’s fine. I...she’s not so bad…” Steve gave him a surprised look so he clarified, “For a human!” 

Leaning over, Steve placed a kiss on Ben’s cheek. “Sure, Ben, I get it.” 

Ben huffed as the Werewolf got up and out of the bed. His mind flashed the image of the woman in the midst of pleasure. It made his stomach twist a little. She was just a human but...at least she was pretty and not annoying. 

He scoffed, standing up to head out of the room. The night was young and he still had things to get done. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  [ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OSc5GV79JBvfx9Mvh5FC7L0C7gTStcNax04fa8hXyiy4NZCv4pUjsEiQIgZgUQw5b7tTtqWq9GttJBNfxMuG3fcO1ql7P8WDQB1KCOQUsTukBbTZRoxJa4QgFLnAkO_EwpRBTirH=w2400?source=screenshot.guru)
> 
> Credit for pictures from Unsplash:  
> 1\. Alex Dukhavnov  
> 2\. Andrew Santellan  
> 3\. Mia Harvey  
> 4\. Kenny Lou  
> 


	3. Beast Lying on the Rocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha gets back from her trip to find things have changed between her two lovers. They added a human to the mix. To make matters worse, she needs to go get supplies for a potion and who should want to tag along? Evelin. Great, now she had to babysit a damn human too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pairing: Witch!Natasha x Fem!OC (Evelin Jager)
> 
> Chapter Rating: Explicit  
> ~ Past Trauma  
> ~ Past Abuse  
> ~ Sexual Content  
> ~ Fluff
> 
> Marvel Polyship Bingo Fill: "We go together like_______"

Natasha expected a lot of things once she returned from her trip to the mountain. Perhaps, the human had been scared off? Maybe she was dead! Probably because of some prank Clint had played on her. Or maybe Ben had just decided to eat her. 

The one thing she didn’t expect was to see the human cuddled up with Ben and a white wolf on the couch in front of the fire. She had a book in her hand, head resting on the man’s lap, while the Vampire brushed Steve’s winter coat. It was starting to get warm so he was going to shed like crazy as the color shifted from white to his usual golden color. 

Natasha stood in the doorway, looking between the three of them in confusion. Ben’s cobalt eyes peer up at her from his spot. “Welcome back, you find what you were looking for?” he asked, looking far too comfortable. 

“Can we talk?” she snapped, hanging her bag up on a hook. 

Ben gave her an, _are you serious?_ , look. “Evelin, I need to get up,” he said. 

She tilted her head back to look at Natasha. “Sure,” she mumbled, not looking too happy about being moved. She lifted her head. 

The Vampire stood up, which gave the wolf the chance to scoot over so she could lie on him instead. It pacified the woman who went right back to her book. Steve seemed happy to rest his muzzle on her shoulder so he could look at the book too. 

Natasha walked with Ben into another room so they could have some privacy. “What the hell was that?” she finally asked, gesturing wildly towards the living area. 

The Vampire crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve been gone nearly two weeks, Nat, a lot has happened. Where do you want me to start?” 

Cheeky bastard. 

“Why the hell are you _cuddling_ with that thing, for one!” she hissed, getting up into his space. He didn’t even flinch, looking down at her with a raised eyebrow. 

There were some calculations going on in the Vampire’s mind. He was trying to decide how to approach the situation in a way that wouldn’t trigger the woman. Natasha couldn’t help but feel hurt. They had all been hunted and hurt by humans; how could he cuddle with one like it wasn’t dangerous? He understood everything that was going through her mind. 

Finally, he let out a deep sigh. “She’s not that bad, Nat.” 

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Not that bad? What the fuck does that mean?” 

Ben ran a hand through his dark hair without making eye contact. “She wants to learn about us, Nat. Not just about who we are but...our way of living in the manor. She’s...fit in quite well already, which you would know if you hadn’t run away,” he pointed out, hitting the nail right on the head. 

She jerked back like he had slapped her. “I did _not_ run!” 

Both eyebrows rose as he gave her the, _you serious?_ , look. “Come on, Nat, don’t do that. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that you got some space but...seriously, she’s really not that bad.” 

All she wanted to do was smack the living shit out of him in that moment but held back. Steve was trusting to a fault but Ben...he wasn’t. If Ben said she wasn’t so bad then maybe… 

“No, humans and Witches can’t coexist, Ben. We go together like oil and water, you know that!” she spat, turning around and crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. 

Ben gave another sigh, placing his hands on the sides of her arms. “Nat,” he cooed, turning her. “Look at me.” 

She hesitantly let her eyes raise. He had that look on his face, the soft one that he reserved for the people he cared about most. It melted her a little so that she could relax her shoulders. 

He leaned forward to kiss her. 

Nat knew she could stop him if she wanted but...she had missed him and Steve. She would never say it out loud because fuck that but she was glad to be home. It was the only place she didn’t have to perpetually look over her shoulder. 

His hand was just as cold as his lips when it came up to cup the back of her neck. “Nothing has changed between us, Nat,” he whispered against her lips. “Steve and I still care about you. We’ve just...added Evelin.” 

Nat felt a rush of jealousy. She quickly quashed it down. They had a system here; she hadn’t expected the human to be added but that didn’t mean she was any different. Besides, Natasha got jealous, that was just her normal state of being sometimes. 

Ben’s eyes were understanding. “Would you like me to warn you if either Steve or I are with Evelin?” 

Natasha pulled away, feeling conflicted. “I don’t know yet.” 

He nodded, tilting his head. “Is it too soon to ask a favor of you?” 

She looked back at him as she waved her hand to conjure an apple. Her prim eyebrow raised as answer. It was odd for Ben to ask for anything so it must be something only she could accomplish. 

He leaned against the wall casually. “Is there a potion or balm you could make to help humans who have been bitten by a Vampire?” 

Natasha almost choked on the piece of apple she was eating. “What? You drank from her?!” she asked, shocked. 

Ben, to his credit, didn’t at all look ashamed or embarrassed. If she had said something like that to Steve...it would be a completely different story. The Vampire was too old for shame. “Yes,” he said. 

“She let you?” 

The Vampire looked offended by her comment. “You think I did it without permission?” he hissed, eyes flashing dangerously. 

Wrong thing to ask, she knew better. “No, no, of course not,” she backpedaled quickly. “I’m just shocked a human let a Vampire drink from them is all.” 

He deflated, arms crossed over his chest. “I only did it once but she’s...offering to do it on a steady basis. Is there something you can do to make sure she doesn’t become anemic?” 

Nat couldn’t help the smile that started to form on her lips. The Vampire was aloof and a hardass but when he cared about someone...he took care of them. It was one of those things that set him apart from other Vampires. 

“Yes,” she finally sighed. “There’s a potion I can make that will accelerate her regeneration of blood. It’s complex and I’ll need to gather more supplies but I think all of them are in the forest.” 

Ben’s smile was worth it. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you, Nat, but I’ll…” he ran a finger down her jawline slowly. “-make it up to you.” 

A shiver rippled across her body, unhindered. That was definitely something to motivate her. “Fine, I’ll go get the supplies,” she huffed a little. 

“Can I come with you?!” 

Nat jumped when the human burst into the room. She glared at Ben who just gave her a faux-innocent look. He knew she had been there eavesdropping; no one could sneak up on him except maybe another Vampire. 

“I’d really like to learn how to forage for herbs and other plants,” she continued, unaware of what was going on between the two. “Please, I won’t be a burden, I swear! I’d like to learn and Clint said you were the best at herbalism.” 

Clint must have also told the little human that flattery with Natasha would get her everywhere. She pursed her lips for a few seconds before throwing her hands up with a growl. “Fine, but we’re leaving in ten minutes! You need to go get changed and-” 

“I’ll be right back!” the human smiled, bounding away with a happy grin on her face. 

“I hate you,” she declared. 

“Sure you do,” Ben smirked, kissing her on the temple as he passed. “I’ll have the spreader bar ready when you get back.” 

She felt the flush of arousal tingle through her entire form. Pushing it aside, she went to grab the things she would need for harvesting the plants. She read the recipe quickly just in case there were other things she would need but it was straight forward. Just herbs and magic, no need for...unsavory ingredients. 

By the time she got to the door, Evelin was already waiting for her. “I wasn’t sure if you needed me to bring a bag so I grabbed one,” she said excitedly. She had a thick winter jacket on, which Nat scoffed at. 

She grabbed a thinner jacket from the coat hanger near the door. “It’s not that cold anymore. Spring will be here in a few weeks,” Nat explained, waiting for the woman to switch jackets. “Come on.” 

They walked down the long bridge in silence towards the forest as the sun was starting to rise. The human easily kept up with Natasha and the Witch hadn’t noticed until now that the other woman was about three inches taller. It didn’t make a difference though, because Natasha was made for the forest. 

The trees whispered to her as she walked by; the forest animals bowed out of her way; and a root never tripped her. The same could not be said for the human who stumbled on a large root, catching herself on a tree. Natasha rolled her eyes. This was going to take a while. 

Crouching down, she placed her hand on the ground to feel the ley lines undulating through the dirt. She closed her eyes. “Butcher’s Broom,” she whispered her intent into the line. Her third eye traced a line through the forest, until it found the closest source of the plant. “Got it.” 

“What did you do?” the human asked curiously. 

Glancing back, Natasha decided it couldn’t hurt to explain. “I use the ley lines of the forest to find the plants I need.” 

“What’s a ley line?” 

Oh sweet Goddess, she was ignorant. Natasha sighed heavily, “You really don’t know anything about the world, do you?” she asked, turning on the woman. 

There was a moment of hesitation before she shook her head. “No, knowledge was not something women were allowed to gain in my village,” she admitted sadly. 

It stabbed the Witch right in the heart. She had grown up around other Witches, who were naturally Matriarcal, so she couldn’t fathom the amount of disrespect this human had gone through. She would never admit it but it softened her a little. 

“Can you read or write?” Natasha found herself asking. 

There was a bit of pink that bled into the woman’s cheeks as she averted her eyes. She couldn’t even form the words so just shook her head. Natasha wasn’t sure if it were a trick of the light but she thought there might be tears in the corner of her eyes. 

The Witch clenched her hands and narrowed her eyes. “That won’t do,” she decided, lifting her chin. “I will teach you everything I know about herbs and when we get home, Ben will teach you to read and write as well.” 

Eyes the same color as the sky at dusk looked up and yes, there were definitely tears clouding them. “I...I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, wiping at the big tears that escaped. “Thank you.” 

The smile that was given to Natasha was truly a gift. It was full of gratitude, happiness and affection; it was the most genuine thing the Witch had ever seen on a human. It changed something inside of her; made her feel warm. 

“Women are blessings from the Goddess herself,” Natasha brushed it aside like nothing had changed. “Women are powerful. _You_ are powerful. Never forget that lest you disgrace the Goddess.” 

Evelin nodded. “Can you tell me more about the Goddess?” 

The Witch smirked, wrapping an arm around the woman’s shoulders so they could continue on their journey. Natasha spoke on the beliefs of the Witches, talked about the Goddess of nature, Gaia, and the other Goddesses. She spoke of the power of women. 

It wasn’t until Natasha spotted the red berries that she realized they had arrived. “Here we are,” she said, pointing at a shrub. She sat down in front of the small plant allowing the woman to sit close enough for their knees to almost touch. “Don’t touch the berries. They’re poisonous to humans. We actually-” She took out a small spade and dug into the ground right next to the plant. It revealed a tan, bumpy root. “-want the root.” 

Natasha looked up and startled a little when she found Evelin’s face quite close. The woman’s eyes were staring at the root in fascination. Getting this close, the Witches eyes landed on her neck where two distinct Vampire punctures sat healing quite well. What caught her eye though were the old scars that peeked out from the neckline of the jacket. 

Evelin glanced at the Witch and quickly fixed the collaras she backed away. Her eyes averted, embarrassed. The Witch quickly offered the spade. “Here, you try. Be careful not to stab the root,” she said softly seeing as they were so close. “We need to pull it out, not break it.” 

The woman had a determined expression on her face as she dug out around the root carefully. It took a few minutes but Natasha was finally able to wiggle the plant out of the earth. “I did it!” Evelin smiled, taking the root after Natasha quickly trimmed away the branches. 

Nat was, yet again, caught by the look of joy on her face. It did stupid things to her stomach. “Nice job, now, let’s take some of the berries so we can plant them in the spring. We want to make sure we replace what we take,” she explained, placing some berries carefully in a jar before putting the stopper on it. “Alright, let’s see what else we need…” 

They spent the rest of the day hunting down the ingredients. Any plants they passed that had some kind of medicinal property, Natasha explained to the woman. It would have been easier if the woman could take notes in a journal but...that would come later. It was a little odd that the Witch was looking forward to another outing with her. 

“It’s getting dark,” Evelin mentioned as they were making their way back towards the castle. She sounded afraid. 

“Are you afraid of night?” 

The woman’s face lit up with embarrassment. “I just know there are wolves in this forest. I heard them the night I was running,” she explained sheepishly. 

Natasha gave a bark of a laugh. “You think wolves are going to attack you when Steve’s scent marked you?” 

By the look on the human’s face, she had no idea what she was talking about. Steve hadn’t even bothered explaining a scent mark. She would wager a bet that Ben hadn’t bothered to explain what the puncture marks meant either. 

She shook her head, gesturing towards a small creek. “Let’s sit down and I’ll explain some things to you.” 

Evelin paused, still scared. “Should we really stop? Is it safe?” 

Natasha rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. “Look at that tree over there,” she said, gesturing with a hand. It was an old tree with a strong trunk and branches that twisted and turned and split in all directions. It had a small spot just a few feet up where you could sit amongst the branches. “That’s no ordinary tree. It’s an Ent, a guardian of the forest. It’s mere presence scares away any beast that dares come near. He’s friendly...maybe too friendly.” 

She walked away before the woman could ask any questions. Finding a nice, dry rock on the creekside, they both settled down. Evelin still looked a little nervous but put her trust in the Witch. 

They talked about scent marking, which was what happened when a Werewolf decided someone was part of their pack. It was a lot more effective when they were intimate, which the woman confirmed they had been. The jealousy was becoming dull as she got to know the human. It was a little frightening. 

“It makes sure that other wolves, even regular ones, know to stay away from you,” Natasha explained easily, feet casually dipped in the frigid water. “Now, Vampires are the complete opposite. Those marks on your neck, should any other Vampire see them, will entice them to take you. They see it as a challenge.” 

Evelin touched her neck absently. “What are the chances of me seeing another Vampire?” 

The Witch laughed. “Slim to none, Ben has quite the reputation in the Vampire world.” Evelin looked up at her curiously, expecting more of an explanation but she shook her head. “That’s not my story to tell, sadly.” 

The human seemed to understand, hissing when her own feet hit the cold spring water. She pulled them out quickly, wrapping her arms around her knees. “Why is it-” she stopped, thinking better of her question. “Nevermind.” 

“Go ahead,” Nat sighed as if this was annoying. It really wasn’t, she was just saving face. 

Evelin rested her chin on her knees. “Why do you hate humans so much?” she finally said. 

The Witch looked out at the creek, spotting some fish in the cold water. She decided on honesty. “Humans and Witches go together like oil and water; we can’t coexist without one wanting to kill the other. My kind used to work so closely with all types of creatures. That’s why we have a recipe for Vampires to give to their thralls. We were midwives who helped deliver babies; we created poultices and balms to help human ailments.” 

“What changed?” the woman questioned. 

“Religion,” Natasha spat. “Christianity started to take root, wiping out other belief systems, killing the ‘savage beliefs’ until they had the power to twist people to their whims. Then, they went after my kind. They started trying to burn us at the stake-” Evelin flinched. “-what’s wrong?” 

The woman shook her head. “It’s nothing.” 

Natasha narrowed her eyes at the woman. It definitely wasn’t _nothing_. “Why exactly were you running from your village?” she demanded. There was a tightening of the woman’s shoulders but she stayed silent. “Evelin.” 

“I was accused of being a Witch,” she blurted, turning to look at the Witch with frenzied eyes. There was moisture at the corners of her eyes but the emotion burning there was anger. “I ran because they were going to burn me.” 

“Why would they think that?” 

Evelin threw her hands up in exacerbation. “Because, I refused to have sex with The Father.” 

Anger, hot and molten, blossomed in Natasha’s chest. She wasn’t sure where it had come from but she was _pissed_. How _dare_ that human! How _dare_ he burn someone merely because they wouldn’t open their legs to him! 

“The only place I’ve ever felt safe...is with-” 

“Monsters?” Natasha offered. 

Evelin’s eyes were crystalline from the tears, clear and intense, as she looked at Natasha. She had a sweet, understanding smile on her face that was full of genuine affection. “I’ve seen Monsters, Natasha, and you are not that.” 

Natasha moved before she could tell herself to stop. Their lips met in a rush of heat and the shock of connection. A surprised sound escaped the human even as she was grabbing onto the Witch’s shirt to pull her closer. 

Intoxicated, the Witch ran her fingers across the back of the woman’s neck, down her collarbone and unzipped the jacket. Evelin protested a second, merely trying to cover the scars but Natasha wasn’t having it. She pinned the woman’s wrist above her head on the rock. 

“Don’t hide them,” Nat breathed, looking down at the human. Her cheeks were ruddy with blush and there was a hazy look in her eyes that spoke of arousal, not fear. 

It took a second but Evelin relaxed back against the rock and accepted another kiss. Heated breath, mixed with tangled tongues was a potent recipe for things to come. Natasha felt the woman, docile, under her touch but pulled back nonetheless. 

“Are you okay? Can I take your pants off?” she asked, trailing kisses and nips down the woman’s neck. 

“Y-Yeah, please,” Evelin managed through the sounds of pleasure. 

Natasha made sure to toss the woman’s pants over the top part of the rock so they didn’t get wet. Speaking of wet, she ran her fingers down between the human’s folds and found her perfectly ready. She rubbed at the special bundle of nerves, relishing the way the body jerked under her touch. 

Two thin fingers were pressed into wet heat, accompanied with the sweetest of moans. Natasha situated herself a little further down on the rock so she could lean down and run her tongue across the woman’s clit firmly. By the way her body bowed up and the explicative that she shouted, Natasha took a wild shot in the dark that the woman had _never_ done this before. That shouldn’t be as arousing as it was, truthfully. 

“I’m shocked the boys didn’t get around to this,” she said with faux disappointment. “Ben is _quite_ good with his mouth in this regard.” 

Evelin was obviously having a hard time putting words together as the woman repeated the previous action. “Oh god,” the human moaned. 

“It’s just Nat,” the woman teased, crooking her fingers to find that spot that would- 

“Ah!” 

Yep, just like that. 

She proceeded to assault that spot over and over again with ever inward thrust of her fingers. Her mouth wrapped around the little bud and sucked. Natasha felt good when the woman’s body tightened like a drawn bow string until that first orgasm crashed through her. She bucked against Natasha’s face, causing the Witch to press her hips down into the rock firmly. 

Natasha unraveled the pretty human with tongue, mouth and fingers until the woman’s body was a shuddering, wet mess. When she finally pulled away, Evelin let out a groan of disappointment, which did wonders for Natasha’s ego. She dipped her hand into the water to clean it off before laying next to the woman, head propped up on a hand. 

“Good?” she said playfully, earning a tired look from the sated human. The woman didn’t even say anything, just closed her eyes again. “Can you walk? We need to get back before you pass out on me.” 

Nodding, the human grabbed her clothes and fixed herself while Nat pulled her shoes on. Evelin was mulling something over in her mind as she tied up her own boots. It made the Witch a little nervous. 

“I’d…” Evelin started, standing next to the other woman as they stepped off the rock. “Like to return the favor sometime.” 

Natasha’s eyebrows went up in shock before she smirked. “Oh yeah?” 

The fair skin of the woman’s cheeks flushed red. “I’ve never...done it before so I’m probably bad at it but-” 

The Witch tilted the woman’s head up with her hand. “Don’t you worry your pretty human head, Evelin. I’ll teach you everything I know.” 

They reached the house right about midnight. The second they walked in, wolf-Steve popped his head up from the couch. He bounded over towards Evelin and Natasha with his tail happily wagging. With the popping of some bones and shifting of muscles, he turned into the tall, beautiful farm boy. He was completely naked but that wasn’t anything new. 

He wrapped them both up in his large arms, kissing their foreheads. “Welcome back, did you find everything you needed?” he asked even as Natasha was pulling away with her bag. 

“We did and did you know-” Evelin went off on a tangent of telling Steve everything she had learned. 

Natasha couldn’t help but smile even as she was going towards her room. She had to prepare the ingredients to make the potion. She hadn’t been in her room long before Ben appeared leaning against the doorway. He had this knowing look on his face, which really pissed her off. 

“Go ahead, spit it out,” she snapped weakly, looking away from the root she was hanging up to dry. 

“I told you so,” he chuckled, shaking his head. 

She rolled her eyes at the man, accepting the kiss that she knew was coming. “She doesn’t know how to read or write,” she said once they pulled apart. Ben’s eyes flashed surprise then anger. So, he was feeling that anger too, huh? 

“I’ll start teaching her tomorrow,” he scoffed, obviously offended that the woman didn’t know something so simple. “How long before the potion is ready?” 

Natasha looked at the root and shrugged. “A week at most for the roots to dry and then I can get started.” She glanced back at the man. “Also, want to explain why you never went down on the poor girl?” 

Ben’s eyes widen a bit then narrow in understanding. “Well, we weren’t sure how she would react to it, truthfully.” 

“Oh she reacted great!” the Witch teased, poking the man in the chest. “So you two owe her to make up for your selfishness!” 

The Vampire laughed. “You’re absolutely right! We will have to make amends!” 

Natasha found herself wrapped up in his arms, kissing him. He helped her get the last few roots up and they were just finishing preparing some other ingredients to be dried when someone knocked on the door. They both looked over to see Steve and Evelin standing there. 

The human looked a little embarrassed as she brought over a plate with a yellow cake on it. It was already split up into pieces. Steve had plates, silverware and a devious grin on his face. Natasha was a little confused but the cake smelt amazing, like cinnamon and warmth. 

“What’s this for?” Natasha asked as the human fidgeted in her spot. 

“Well,” she started, glancing at Steve who gave her a sweet smile and a nod. “You said that humans and Witches go together like oil and water, right? Well, I happen to know that with time and patience...oil and water can come together to make cake.” 

The Witch was stunned silent, looking from the woman to the homemade cake. The two men had shit-eating grins on their face but the warmth that spread through Natasha’s chest was too sweet to ignore. It was one of the kindest gestures anyone had ever done for her. 

“That’s the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard,” she laughed, causing the tension in the room to break so they could all join in the laughter. They all sat down together and ate the delicious cake, which was fluffy but not too sweet. Natasha couldn’t help but look at everyone and happy they all looked. 

Evelin and her locked eyes for a tangible moment. 

Natasha supposed they _did_ go together like oil and water. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/leDZuLmLCu7xv-uYAP2FUWV0v6JKrdcfTu7QzBL4Pxe8aRvmsRk2lUDgUNVKWYH6WEYZfjLJJRApcOWzbqusvBiKpeXZVfErShkF1jVDDL05s0c7FpZEgvBjdDyhhuhF-9pNRu8g=w2400?source=screenshot.guru)
> 
> Credit for pictures from Unsplash:  
> 1\. Alex Dukhavnov  
> 2\. Matt Briney  
> 3\. Clem Onojeghuo  
> 4\. (Girl running) Kenny Lou  
> 


	4. Deeper and Deeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Natasha have some special one on one time with a spreader bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Rating: Explicit  
> ~ Sexual Content  
> ~ Blood Play (Vampire Style)  
> ~ Dom/Sub Dynamics
> 
> Marvel Polyship Bingo Fill: Spreader Bar

[ ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hGZ-FDQs0UbZQT0iOCZchsGRjI0IKnQVEjMsnNUHh_ahVx3icbVReU6bSgEKku9eATVMbj-t-EZD08p6hObCvysG6FnZmlsZ9p4b1fPeGMQsZbk3d5f6mmEwhsX1XyzB2VIx2q5yRw=w2400?source=screenshot.guru)

“Oh, Ben, have you seen Natasha recently?” Evelin asked the Vampire as he was headed up the stairs. 

He stopped giving a devious smirk. “She’s in the Playroom.” 

Evelin knew what that meant. “Oh, well, tell her to find me when she gets a chance, please?” she smiled as she settled on the couch to work on her writing. 

“Of course,” Ben said as he made his way up the stairs. It didn’t take him too long to get to what they called the Playroom. He opened the door, grinning at the sight that laid before him. “Miss me?” 

Natasha couldn’t speak from where she was lying on the bed because of the gag in her mouth. She looked so perfect with the spreader bar attached to her ankles, wrists strapped into the two cuffs in the middle. To add extra allure, Ben had hooked the bar to a chain he had rigged on the canopy of the bed. 

It was a rare thing to see the strong Witch so vulnerable with her body pulled into a pretty triangle. He walked up to the edge of the bed and admired the way her legs were spread, giving him a perfect view of her most private area. She was already wet, which said a lot about the woman. 

Natasha was a force. She could cast a curse on someone that would make their dick wither away to nothing. She could make a potion that would kill even the heartist of warriors. 

And yet, here she was completely at his mercy. She was an active participant in their new quad but this was something she didn’t do with anyone else and would never allow someone like Evelin to see. At least, not yet, who knows what the future held for the quad? Not even Steve got to see her like this. 

This beautiful picture was Ben’s alone. 

He slowly started to unbutton his shirt as he spoke, “Look at you, Natasha, so beautiful when you’re spread out in front of me.” He undid the buttons at his wrists before shucking the shirt, tossing it to the ground so she could hear the sound of it landing. It made the woman jolt and he assumed her sense of hearing was quite good because she had been blindfolded since he left to go wander. She had had plenty of time to build up a sensitivity to the sounds around her. 

Ben got rid of his pants next, allowing them to pool on the floor at his feet. He stepped forward so he could stand right at the edge of the bed. There was a delicate tremble rippling across her body. So subtle, only a Vampire would notice. 

He placed a knee on the bed. There was a small twitch from the woman when she felt the bed dip under his weight. Ben loved the way the Witch smelled when she was aroused. He made his way closer to her at a leisurely pace. 

The chain connected to the bar rattled as she moved her hands, squirming deliciously. “I bet,” he said slowly, running his hands up the underside of her thighs slowly. She made a noise around the gag. “I can guess what you want.” 

His hands, firm and cold, ran down her thighs as he leaned forward to nip at the skin teasingly. She jerked in shock. He smirked at the incoherent noise she made. 

Ben opened his mouth to allow his fangs to extend. Steve preferred being bit on the neck and shoulders; Natasha, on the other hand, enjoyed being bit elsewhere. He pierced her inner thigh, reveling in the muffled scream she let out. Unlike Werewolves, Witches were just as sensitive to a Vampire’s bite as humans were. 

He took a long draw of her blood, full of spice and magic. Witches tasted a _lot_ different than humans; there was something about the ability to cast spells that changed their blood’s makeup. 

She was now fully shuddering, orgasm wracking her body deliciously. He pulled away to lean down, running a tongue across her clit slowly. The noise she made around the gag was desperate. The Vampire had to wrap his arms around her waist to hold her down so she didn’t buck into his mouth. 

“You’re so easy to please, Nat,” he chuckled, making intricate patterns against the sensitive bundle of nerves. She wiggled relentlessly, gripping the bar between her feet desperately. The chain rattled loudly as she tried anyway to move; she knew better, his inhuman strength was immovable unless he deemed it so. “Just lick your clit a little and you melt.” 

He spent a bit of time wringing a few orgasms out of her, trapped and helpless. It wasn’t until she was nice and overwhelmed that he pulled away. His hands easily undid the chain so that he could use his strength to flip her over. Her face was pressed into the bed, ass in the air and he just stopped to admire the picture. 

“If I take the gag out,” he started, running fingers lightly down her beautiful rear. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure if Nat or Steve’s ass was better because they both had _perfect_ posteriors. “Are you going to be a bad girl?” 

Ben knew the answer to that question even as he was taking the gag out. The Witch was _never_ a good girl when it came to their bed play. She was the brattiest sub he had ever met, which was saying _a lot_ because of his age. Then, again, he _loved_ what he got to do to her when she was bad so he decided it was a win-win situation. 

“Just fuck me already!” she snapped after working her jaw a few seconds. 

Sighing as if he hadn’t anticipated this reaction, he shook his head. “Brat,” he smirked, hand coming down on her ass with a crisp sound. She flinched, face still in the bed because of the bar and cuffs. “I’m impressed, Nat, you didn’t make a sound! Let’s see how long that lasts.” 

His hand came down on the opposite side. She flinched but was obviously biting down on her lower lip in a last ditch effort to muffle sounds. Ben gently soothed the skin of the woman’s rear for a few seconds. Her record was fifteen smacks but she hadn’t gotten close to that in a while. 

Grinning, he started counting. 

“Two.” 

Her ass gradually became redder with every smack that landed. The higher the number, the less he soothed. There was a tension in her back and shoulders that was going to break eventually. He just had to be patient. 

“Ten,” he said, pausing a few seconds after saying it. 

She let her guard down. Ben took advantage and smacked her. “Fuck!” she snapped, trying to glare at him over her shoulder. Well, as much as she could with her face in the bed and a blindfold covering her eyes. 

“That was pretty close to your record,” he noted with a bored tone. He gently rubbed her red ass. “Now, beg for it.” 

Nat’s whole body tensed up at the command. It went against every fiber of her Witch being to follow the order of a man. He watched the internal debate go on, which never got old even after the thousandth time seeing it. She would eventually give in; she always did. It was just a matter of how much she wanted to fight it today. 

“God damn it,” she mumbled into the bed. 

He sat back on his knees with his arms crossed. “I’ve got all eternity, Natasha.” The Vampire could see the way her hands balled into fitsts where they were cuffed to the bar under her. “Nat-” 

“Ben, please fuck me…” she whispered, voice just barely trembling. 

Truthfully, he was shocked by how fast she had conceded. It usually took a lot more prodding than that! He thought about pressing her for more because, let’s be honest, he would do that to Evelin or Steve but Natasha? No, that was perfect and she deserved some praise for being so fucking obediant. 

“What a good girl you are, Natasha,” he purred, running his hands across her ass to her waist. “And good girls get rewarded, don’t they?” 

Any snarky retort quickly turned into a scream when he seated himself with one, vicious thrust. She was still perfectly wet and he could feel her insides trembling around his dick. The gentle tremor had quickly turned into shaking as an orgasm washed over her. 

Ben loved it when he could tip his lover over the edge by just being inside of them. It was definitely something he aspired to every time he fucked one of them and Natasha, once worked up, was easy to tip over the edge. 

“How do you want it, Natasha?” he asked, grinding his hips into the woman. She was so fucking hot and wet around him. “Gentle or hard?” 

She didn’t even hesitate, “Hard.” 

The Vampire’s smirk was insufferable as he hooked his hands under her hips so she didn’t get pushed away. “As you wish,” he said, pulling back. 

The first hard thrust made her let out a choked sound but this time, he didn’t stop. The sound of skin on skin, the noises she made and the way she squeezed around his dick had him eager to cum. He wasn’t going to last long, damn it. 

Spiteful creature that he was, he wrapped his hand a little further to fondle her clit. Her body’s reaction was more honest than Natasha would ever be in this situation. She was biting down on her lower lip to keep her noises to a minimum but the small grunts and moans that slipped out were gifts. 

He kissed her back gently, a dynamic juxtaposition to the brutal thrusts of his hips. Ben held back long enough to feel her inner walls clench around him as she orgasmed. “Fuck, Nat,” he groaned, settling himself completely inside of her as he came. His fingers didn’t stop fiddling with her clit though, wringing out every bit of pleasure that he could. 

It took a moment for him to pull away. She was still shivering with her last orgasm as he untied her blindfold and started undoing the thick cuffs on the bar. Ben helped her get to her back, so he could release her feet as well. He quickly took her ankles into his hands so he could massage the red marks. 

“You did so well, Nat,” he purred, kissing her ankle tenderly. He soothed the woman’s aches with gentle fingers; her chest was still heaving, as she herself back together. “Are you hungry? I’ll go get you something to eat.” 

She was quiet for a few minutes, just making noises of comfort as he massaged her ankles and legs. It wasn’t until he laid down next to her, gently rubbing her wrists that she finally said something. “Yeah, food sounds good,” she whispered, basking. 

Ben loved seeing her like this. She was the strongest woman he knew but when they were like this...she was completely vulnerable. The fact that the Witch trusted him enough to not only let him dominate her but enjoy it was...well, it made Ben mushy on the inside. 

“Okay, I’ll go get you something,” he smiled, kissing her cheek before standing up. 

He hadn’t even gotten to the door when he heard a noise outside. It was mostly why he wasn’t surprised to find Evelin and Steve standing there, in the midst of bringing a plate of food and a decanter of water. They both straightened as if caught doing something wrong, cheeks adorably flushed. 

“Uh...we thought Nat might be hungry. She missed lunch!” Evelin smiled after recovering. She was holding a bowl of berries and fruit. “We were just going to leave them.” 

Ben gave the other two of their quad a suspicious look but it was Natasha who broke the silence. “Just come inside,” she sighed, exasperated. “All of you.” 

Steve perked up like a dog being called a _good boy_ but Evelin’s eyes widened. “We didn’t mean to interrupt!” she said, glaring as the Werewolf was already entering the room. 

The Vampire shook his head, wrapping an arm around the woman’s shoulders to pull her inside. “No need for human formalities, Evelin. Get in here, you know how Nat gets when she’s hungry,” he teased, easily taking the large bowl from her hands. 

The human hesitated only a few seconds before joining the other two on the bed. With Steve on one side of the Witch and Evelin on the other, they made a lovely picture. Ben stood there a second, at the end of the bed, watching the three. 

Evelin was gently brushing the woman’s hair from her forehead, grabbing a hand towel from the bedside table to dot her brow. Steve was cuddled up to the woman’s side, arm wrapped around her middle. Ben felt happiness well up so suddenly that it blindsided him. He had thought the trio was perfect but...they had always been missing their fourth, hadn’t they? 

“You coming?” Evelin asked when she realized he hadn’t joined them. 

Snapping out of his thoughts, he gave a genuinely happy smile. “Yeah, I’m coming,” he said, walking over to the bed to join his quad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  [Marvel Polyship Bingo Board](https://mutants-and-soldiers.tumblr.com/post/622264173708132352/my-official-card-for-marvel-polyship-bingo-im-so)  
> 


	5. Primal Savagery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelin notices that Steve has been acting a little strange lately.

  


Evelin started to notice something was different about Steve.

He was a very affectionate person as a general rule but lately he had been downright clingy. Whenever he was in the same room with Evelin, Ben or Natasha, his hands had to be one at least one of them. He was also moving more silently now as if stalking prey, so there were several times when Evelin would be startled by a soft mouth suddenly on the skin of her shoulders or neck.

He wasn’t _sneaking_ because there wasn’t intent behind it but it definitely had the human on edge. There was also the time he had pinned her against the wall in the wide open to kiss her like he was dying. The sheer heat of him in that moment had been another clue that something wasn’t quite right with him. He was normally very warm but lately he had been _on fire_ as far as she was concerned. Even in the drafty castle, it was becoming almost suffocating to be wrapped up in the wolf.

Finally, she broke and found herself knocking on Ben’s door one morning. Steve had gone out for his usual run so he had about an hour before the wolf got back. There were still so many things she didn’t understand about this group of people. She figured there must be something she was missing.

“Enter,” she heard Ben’s deep voice say from inside the room.

“Good morning, Ben,” she smiled as she opened the door. Her eyes widened when she saw a suitcase on the bed being filled with clothing and other necessities. “Going somewhere?”

Evelin had been here quite a while and she had never, not once, seen Ben leave the mansion unless it was for a walk around the woods. He didn’t look too happy either. His eyes flickered with danger in the dim light of the room. “I’ve been _summoned_ ,” he said, nearly spitting the word like it was poison.

Who in the world had the power to summon someone like Ben?

“By who?” she asked, closing the door behind her so she could walk over and sit on the bed.

She didn’t think she’d ever seen someone pack away clothing so violently. He was flitting across the room with his vampiric speed, grabbing things he would need and unceremoniously shoving them into the case. It was odd of Ben to be so unorganized; he was usually so meticulous about everything. He was a control-freak and they all took care to make sure he was given all the control he could ever want. He got cranky, otherwise.

Once he had flitted back to the bag, she touched his arm gently. It snapped him out of his moment so that he could heave a burdened sigh. His shoulders slumped forward and he pinched the bridge of his nose as if he could get a headache. They both knew he couldn’t but she assumed it was a lingering habit from when he was a human.

“The Creator,” he finally said, rubbing a hand down his face. “He’s the original Vampire.”

Evelin felt her heart pulsed roughly in her chest. “What does he want with you?”

Ben shook his head. “Nothing, it’s a powerplay. Vampires meet once every century to...let’s just call it what it is-party. It’s basically a massive circle-jerk where Vampires saunter around proving how they are better than everyone else,” he rambled, running his hand through his hair.

Evelin couldn’t help but think he was starting to sound like Clint. Circle-jerk was definitely a term that the Fey would use. “That’s the worst circle-jerk I’ve ever heard of,” she teased, glad to hear him let out a snort.

He finally turned his stormy eyes to look at her. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone, truthfully,” he admitted, reaching out to brush the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “Time means very little to creatures who live forever.”

She cupped his hand against her face and smiled. “That’s fine, Ben. I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you leave the manor. Try to have fun, okay?”

The scoff that he let out was full of derision as he continued to pack, though a bit slower than before. “Please, how can I have fun with a bunch of pompous assholes? Do you know how many Vampires like being dominated?”

She gave a sympathetic smile. “I can’t imagine a whole lot.”

“Try absolutely none, instead.”

Helping him pack by folding his clothes, she gave a smile. “I’m sure you could find at least one cute little Vampire you could tie up,” she offered with an innocent look.

He gave her a knowing look. “Don’t use that sweet look on me, Evelin. It may work on Steve and Natasha but it doesn’t on me. I know you’re the biggest pervert of us all deep down.”

Evelin gasped in mock offense, placing a hand on her chest. “How dare you, Benjamin!” she said but it didn’t really work when she dissolved into laughter. They focused on packing for a few minutes before Evelin remembered why she had come in the first place. “Steve’s been acting kind of odd lately. Is there...a reason?”

Ben’s head snapped up as if he just realized something and he groaned. “Fuck, Evelin, it totally slipped my mind!” he said, sounding a little angry. “The full moon is in three days.”

Oh, that made sense. She hadn’t been tracking the moon cycles but it was obvious that at least Ben kept them in mind. “So, is that why he’s so clingy?” she asked, holding the case closed as Ben zipped it up.

The Vampire nodded his head, grabbing the case and placing it on the ground next to him. “He gets really affectionate the days leading up to the full moon. He’ll go out on his monthly run with the other wolves and lycanthropes in the area when the moon is biggest,” he explained, looking a little uncertain. “Shit, maybe I should just not go.”

“No, no,” Evelin said quickly, standing up to take his hands. “Natasha and I can handle him on our own.”

Ben cringed a little. “Natasha had to go to her coven meeting. It’s the summer solstice. That means something for Vampires and Witches. I’ll...see if I can get in contact with someone.”

Being alone with a Werewolf during their most vulnerable time sounded a little scary but Evelin shook that off. Steve wouldn’t hurt her. He was nothing if not overly cautious when they were intimate. She would be fine. She could take care of Steve.

“We’ll be fine, Ben,” she smiled, kissing his cheek. “Go, have fun and don’t worry about us, okay?”

He looked a little hesitant before nodding. “I’ll be back in a week.”

“Stay longer if you want,” she said with words full of double meaning. “I’ll take care of Steve.”

It wasn’t surprising to find Steve coming in as Evelin was walking the Vampire out. “I’m going to the summer solstice party,” Ben explained to the wolf who didn’t seem surprised. He was breathing heavily from his run with just a small sheen of sweat glittering in the moonlight.

Steve wrapped his huge arms around the Vampire to give him a tight hug. If Ben cared about the guy being sweaty, he didn’t show it. “Be safe,” Steve whispered, kissing Ben much the same way he had Evelin yesterday.

“You too,” Ben nodded and was gone.

They stood there for a few seconds, staring at each other. “Come on, let’s get you inside and in a bath,” Evelin smiled, turning to go back inside the manor.

She had barely put one foot in the door when everything shuffled. That was the one thing she hated about how fast Steve and Ben were. They could completely turn her world upside down and she wouldn’t know what had happened until she was where they wanted her. It was both frustrating and incredibly arousing all at the same time.

This time, she found her front pressed against the closed door. There was a strong, hot hand pressed in between her shoulder blades, holding her stationary against the door so that even if she pushed her hands against the door...she wouldn’t go anywhere. Her body instantly responded, conditioned, to find this type of thing exciting instead of scary. She knew Steve wouldn’t hurt her; she _trusted_ him.

“S-Steve,” she whimpered, feeling the heat radiating off of him in humid waves. “W-We’re in a public space.”

The growl that escaped the man rumbled through her entire body and even trembled through the wood that her cheek was pressed against. It effectively culled her. She had never heard him growl in his human form before so...possessively.

Her hands clenched into fists when she felt her trousers being practically ripped down her legs. “Spread your legs,” Steve commanded in a voice that she hardly recognized. It was low, husky and left no room for argument.

She had hardly followed the order before he slammed inside of her with one thrust. Her eyes widened, a bitter-sweet mixture of pleasure and pain cascaded across her body, and the scream that tried to escape got choked up. His thrusts were hard, snapping against her rear with enough force to nearly press her against the door.

Pleasure quickly overcame the pain of being stretched so suddenly. His hand planted with a dull sound against the door right next to her head. It felt like he was looming over her, covering her completely with his hulking form. She pushed back against the thrusts desperately.

Her body turned into a trembling mess as her first orgasm washed over her. She was being pushed to her tiptoes with the power behind the thrusts. It didn’t take much after that for her to lose herself in the waves of pleasure.

Steve had dissolved into primal sounds. His growls were low, full of warning and rumbled through the woman’s nerves. Even if she wanted to, she could never pull away from him with his strong hand planted on the space between her shoulders.

His hand ran up until it hooked over her shoulder and he gave a few, hard thrusts. Pressing her forehead against the wooden door, she whimpered in pleasure as his member pulsed inside of her as he came. Her body was trembling so much from the whole experience that her legs crumbled under her as soon as he pulled away.

“Evelin!” Steve cried, dropping down to touch her shoulders. “I’m so sorry. I just...got lost…”

Evelin leaned against the door, boneless, and smiled. “Steve...Steve!” she said a little louder. It made his mouth snap shut. “I’m fine, my legs just don’t want to work.”

He didn’t seem too convinced as he picked her up and carried her to his own room. Evelin hadn’t really spent a whole lot of time in the wolf’s room but it was, by far, the most personal of all the rooms that belonged to the night creatures. He had knick-knacks, personal items, sketches and portraits on the walls and on shelves.

Walking over, he gently deposited her onto the soft bed. “I’m going to get something to clean us up,” he said with a quick nuzzle to her cheek. He disappeared into the bathroom attached and came back with a bowl of water and a washcloth. Dipping the rag into the water, he proceeded to take care of her. “You’re not hurt are you?”

She shook her head, enjoying the feel of the cold water on her overheated skin. “No, I’m fine,” she hummed, smiling at the attention. A stilted sound escaped her as two deft fingers ran down across her sensitive bundle of nerves. “S-Steve-”

His lips slanted over hers, stealing away her words. The human was having a hard time focusing with all of the stimuli going on. Her body jolted as if shocked when his fingers started making elaborate patterns against her clit. She was already sensitive from their first round so it didn’t take long before her body convulsed with orgasm.

Evelin nearly squealed when he moved with his inhuman speed. His lips wrapped around her clit and drew heavily while a finger pressed into her. She knew even before he started fucking into her that she was still very wet but the vulgar sounds that came from his minstrations just cemented that into reality.

She gasped when another finger was added, burning with the stretch. There was no doubt about it, she was going to lose her damn mind if he kept doing that. She just didn’t have the coherency to stop him.

Orgasms blurred into one another, distracting enough that she wasn’t sure how much time went by. He surfaced for air, eyes taking on a strange, golden sheen from where she looked down at him. There was a possessiveness in those dangerous orbs that said more than Steve ever had in words.

When he opened his mouth, she could see the elongated teeth even before he bit into her thigh. Evelin screamed, arching off the bed as pain and pleasure lanced through her system. He hadn’t broken skin but she knew there would be quite the mark there for a while.

“Evelin,” he breathed, voice sounding like a prayer. He was still thrusting into her with three fingers as his tongue lathed at the mark on her thigh to soothe the angry flesh. “So beautiful…”

She couldn’t form words, let alone sentences, so she merely rocked her hips into his fingers. Those eyes glinted as he watched with rapt attention; she knew instantly how much he enjoyed watching his own fingers disappear into her body. It wasn’t until his mouth went back to her clit, sucking and making circular patterns, that he added another finger.

The burn was almost too much. It was the most he had ever tried and his fingers weren’t as thin as Natasha’s. She was afraid for only a second until his fingers brushed against that spot inside. Her hips jerked upwards involuntarily, accompanied by a wild cry of ecstasy.

He followed the motion perfectly, wrapping his arm up under her leg to place a large hand on her stomach. She found herself pressed into the bed as he continued to torture her in the most amazing way. Her mind was hazy from the attention but it didn’t stop her from groaning in disappointment when his fingers were removed.

Hardly having any coherency, she yelped when she was pulled to the edge of the bed. His hands gripped her ankles so that her legs were splayed in a dramatic V. If she were in her right mind, she would have the decency to feel embarrassed. As it stood, she was more worried about the blunt head brushing across her folds.

She threw her hands over her head, gripping desperately at the blanket as he smoothly thrust back into her. There were no words to describe how she felt. Her nerve endings were overwhelmed, everything felt both _too much_ and _not enough_ all at the same time, and she couldn’t string a single thought together.

His thrusts were just shy of brutal, slapping skin together loudly. At some point, he let her legs wrap around his waist, leaning down so that he framed her face with his arms. “Look at me,” he commanded, voice low and husky. Fluttering her eyes, she found herself staring into eyes that were more pupil than iris. “Tell me you want it.”

Even with the vague demand, she knew what he wanted. Commanding was usually Ben’s thing, he was definitely the most dominant in the trio. Steve usually took on a more passive role when Ben was around, even to the point of being penetrated by the Vampire. Now, though, Evelin was seeing a side of him she had _never_ witnessed before and she _wanted_ to obey.

“Cum inside me,” she whimpered, grabbing at his arms desperately. “Please, Steve, I-I want it!”

There was a dangerous glint in his eye as his thrusts picked back up with a goal in mind. She found herself muted by his hot mouth and the hard length inside of her throbbing as he came.

Perhaps she fell asleep or passed out but she came to while Steve was cleaning her up with a cold cloth. “Hey, beautiful, you okay?” he asked, back to sweet, cuddling Steve.

Her body was practically jello. She was glad for the strong man who easily situated her under the blankets. He slipped in beside her, cuddling against her into his side comfortably. “‘M fine,” she finally got out, happy to be wrapped up in the warmth of the man’s body.

“Get some sleep, Evelin,” he soothed, running his fingers through her hair.

She didn’t need to be told twice as she fell fast asleep. She only wished her dreams were kinder to her. Instead, they were full of darkness and death. Dread leached through her mind, into her heart and made a scream bubble up from her chest at the sound of barking dogs. The darkness only parted enough for her to see the distorted figure of a woman who was holding a torch in each hand. Her face shuddered as her lips formed around two words.

“Release me.”

Jolting upright, she placed a hand on her breastbone. Her heart was hammering inside of her chest. There was the distinct instinct that something bad was going to happen welling up like blood in a cut, threatening to spill out.

Then, she realized she wasn’t alone in the dark room.

Her eyes moved to the corner where Steve had two chairs set up with a small table between them. It was homey, just like she would expect from the wolf. Though, instead of being cute...she found her skin going clammy as she saw the silhouette of the man sitting in the chair.

Evelin could feel him watching from the shadows even as the sound of a match being struck came with the lighting of a flame. It illuminated his face enough for her to see the strong jawline, long, slicked back maple brown hair and steely blue eyes staring at her. He lit a candle on the table so that the warm glow filled the room.

It didn’t make her feel any better.


	6. Devil in the Details

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evelin becomes acquainted with one of the visitors of the manor and makes a bet she might not be able to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Rating: Explicit  
> ~ Sexual Content  
> ~ Sexual Exploration  
> ~ Triggers  
> ~ Past Sexual Trauma  
> ~ Mention of Rape/Non-con

“W-Who are you?” she found the bravery to ask. She pulled the blanket up to cover her chest, suddenly realizing her current state of dress. “Why are you in Steve’s room?”

A corner of the man’s mouth twitched up into a smirk that was distinctly devious. She didn’t need to be told to know that this man wasn’t human; he had an air about him that screamed _Other_. Evelin remembered Steve and Ben had talked about guests that didn’t stay at the house but came to visit. Was this one of them?

“I go by many names, human,” he finally spoke up, running his left hand over his hair casually. She wasn’t stupid. As soon as she saw the glint of metal it was obvious that he was showing off his nonorganic hand. “Which would you prefer?”

Posturing. It’s something all the creatures she had met had in common, she realized. Honestly, it was getting a little annoying. She had been scent marked by an Alpha Werewolf, bore the marks of an Ancient Vampire and had a charm of protection dangling from her ankle from an Elder Witch; she had _nothing_ to fear in this house.

“Which one do you like the most?” she asked confidently.

The faint eye twitch was all the indication she got that he was impressed. “Bucky,” he said after a long silence. “And you?”

“Evelin,” she smiled, feeling much more comfortable. “It’s nice to meet you Bucky. Pardon my boldness but...what, exactly, are you?”

His smirk was insufferable. He was very attractive with those steely eyes but she could feel in her bones that this man was capable of great evil. He wasn’t like the others in the house. He had a different...aura to him. It was hard to explain but Natasha had told her that it was very likely that some humans had a sense for things like this.

“That is a great question,” he said, standing up to walk over to the side of the bed. She tried her best not to flinch as he got well within her space. His hand, the one made of flesh and bone, reached out to grip her chin in an almost forceful gesture. “I would probably make you _less_ comfortable rather than more-” he stopped to look into her eyes and she saw that his iris’ were swirling vortexes of grey and silver. There was the dread again, soaking through her form. “-knowing that...do you still want to know?”

“Yes,” she said instantly, desperately hoping he didn’t have some kind of trance-ability like Ben. Looking into the eyes of a night creature was dangerous, she knew, but she couldn’t help it. She refused to be culled in her own house.

His eyes widen a bit in amused surprise, which accompanies a devious chuckle. “I am the Demon Prince of Lust, Asmodeus.”

She jumped when the door was thrown open so hard it hit the wall loudly. Steve stood in the doorway, back hunched as he looked around. “Who are you talking to?” he demanded, looking perfectly savage until his nearly glowing eyes landed on the creature holding her chin. All of the anger and aggression was suddenly gone. “Buck? What are you doing here?”

The fondness in the man’s eyes told Evelin volumes. The creature, to Evelin’s great surprise, softened a little when he looked at Steve and she realized it was reciprocal. Steve’s expression was the same way he looked at Ben or Natasha and she assumed herself.

Bucky walked across the room, the same towering height as the wolf, and wrapped his arms around the man. Their hug went on far too long for it to be just friendly. She wasn’t sure how she felt at that moment but seeing the wolf relax into the other man had her confused. He was obviously very dangerous but...who wasn’t in this house?

“I’m glad to see you, Buck, but...I’m going to have to ask that you not scare my mate,” Steve said once they had stepped away from each other.

“I’m not scared of him.”

“She’s not scared of me.”

The Demon and Evelin look at each other as they said it at the same time. The human was a little shocked to hear a genuine laugh come from the creature as he leaned on Steve. “I’m not sure why I expected anything less than the spunkiest and most fearless human to join your group,” Bucky smirked, giving Steve a knowing look.

Steve’s cheeks turned deep red. “What are you doing here, Buck? You should have told me you were coming,” he pointed out, decidedly changing the subject.

“Ben called me,” Bucky explained, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “You want to explain why you didn’t call me yourself? It’s two days until the full moon.”

Evelin didn’t often see Steve culled but if he had wolf ears in his human form then they would be flattened. “I didn’t...I didn’t want to bother you,” he finally admits once the demon quirked an eyebrow.

Bucky heaved a heavy sigh, running his fleshy hand down his face in exasperation. “Steve,” he said with enough weight to make Steve flinch a little. “You know I’ll drop everything to come help you through your full moon cycle. Why do you insist on doing this by yourself?”

“He isn’t by himself,” Evelin pointed out, unamused by the look of doubt that Bucky sent her way.

His idea of a _comforting_ smile was quite condescending. “Just give it a day, _sweetheart_ , and he’ll be tearing you apart,” he said in a voice so demeaning that Evelin felt offended.

“I’m not sure what I expected from a Demon, truth be told,” she snapped, standing up off of the bed to grab her clothing. “I guess I expected a little more decorum but-”

She froze when the creature was suddenly in front of her. As stubborn as she was, her instincts knew better. His finger trailed across the long scar at her jugular, causing goosebumps to pop up across her left side. His swirling eyes followed pathways made by years of abuse and there was some sort of realization in his gaze that made her uncomfortable.

“I wondered why your aura was so dark…” he whispered, more to himself. Those eyes flicked up to hers with more understanding than she cared to see in the demon. Anything he understood that she did not...was probably a cause for fear and dread. “You have the scars of someone born from evil.”

Evelin jerked away, cringing that she couldn’t cover the scars. “That is-” her voice broke with emotion. It was hard to deny the truth when it was staring her straight in the face. He wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t think of a worse evil than the one she had escaped. Even staring into the face of a Demon Prince, she knew she would prefer his company to that of The Father.

“Buck!” Steve snapped, walking over to wrap his arms around the woman as if to protect her. “Stop it!”

She clung to the wolf but she could see the calculations going on in the demon’s mind through the twitches of his face. “Who are you really, Evelin? I get the feeling that you are not what you appear,” the demon whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

“Buck, that’s enough!”

“No, he’s right,” Evelin spoke up, breaking out of her fear and landing on acceptance. Both creatures looked at her in different mixtures of shock and discomfort. “I was born of evil...so much so that I prefer to spend my time with actual creatures of the night. I’d rather keep the company of you, Bucky, a Demon, than the people who raised me.”

There was some kind of conflict going on behind those swirling orbs but it was far too foriegn for Evelin to understand. This creature was, by far, one of the oldest she had met. He probably predated Clint, who, as far as she could tell just popped into existence some time long ago.

Who existed first? The Fey or Demons?

If demons exist then did that mean God was real? The very same God that her village and The Father claimed to worship. Did that mean God watched as her village tortured her endlessly?

Evelin realized she was very hungry.

And there it was...disassociation. Natasha had mentioned that was a pretty common thing to happen when your worldview was challenged, especially for humans. Her head hurt as she thought about all of the possibilities she had never even fathomed before.

She jolted a little when a strong hand pressed against her shoulder. Her eyes looked up at the demon and found him looking at her with a softness that she would never have expected. “Evil takes many forms, Evelin,” he whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss against her forehead. “It taints the pure and leaves a nasty stain but...that doesn’t make _you_ evil.”

Her shoulders slouched in relief. She wasn’t sure why she took such solace in the demon’s words but...they seemed to be said with all sincerity. She wasn’t sure how to handle a Prince of Evil telling her that _she_ wasn’t evil. If anyone were to know...it would be him, surely.

She made to say something but was quickly shut up when a pair of warm, soft lips covered her own. “Buck!” Steve gasped, obviously a little embarrassed.

There was no time to react as he pulled back, eyes swirling with amusement. “You know…” he started, reaching out to brush the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “Steve and I have a rule when we get together. Would you like to know what it is?”

Evelin found her head was a little fuzzy from the kiss. He was the Prince of Lust so it may be some form of control he had over humans. It erased all worry from her mind though, so she found that it was a nice reprieve from the thoughts clouding her head. “Yes,” she whispered, unaware that she was leaning towards him until Steve’s arms had to keep her upright.

His smirk was a little more sexy on his beautiful face this time, full of the same dominating allure that Ben exuded. “No arguing. Only kissing,” he whispered, voice taking on a husky tone as he leaned forward again.

She knew she should focus on her questions...the words of the demon...her situation but...she would much rather fall into the familiarity of kissing and the pleasures of the flesh. It was much easier to follow the simple rule than to contemplate her place in the world. To focus on the scars that Steve had turned to trace with his hot mouth.

There would be time later to contemplate heavy subjects.

She was swept away in a whirlwind of heat and hands. Was it unhealthy? Absolutely. If she had the focus to spare, she would probably kick herself in the ass for being so irresponsible but, as it were, she couldn’t spare a thought. The feel of four hands roaming her body were taking up all of the extra space in her mind.

There was a thick fog clouding her mind that she was starting to think was a side effect of the Demon. There was a tongue running up the inside of her thigh, sending tingles of pleasure straight to her core. A pair of hands settled her back onto the bed.

She got lost in the feel of wet tongues and roaming hands. It wasn’t until two steely eyes came into her field of vision that she was able to focus. “Ever taken two men at the same time, Evelin?” the Demon asked, a devious grin showing off too-perfect teeth. Evelin wondered idly why he didn’t have fangs like Ben but she guessed Demons could probably change their forms.

“Y-Yes,” she answered, assuming he meant the way Steve and Ben had done this with her before.

“No, my dear,” Bucky smirked, kissing her slowly. The languid heat had her nerve endings sizzling as two large fingers started to roll across her clit. It made her body shudder in pleasure. “I mean, both of us inside of you...at the same time.”

Her brows knit together in confusion as she looked up at Steve. He had that primal look in his eyes again. As soon as their eyes connected, he gave a gentle smile. “We won’t do it if you don’t want to,” he soothed, voice a low rumble against her back. He was still idly rubbing circles against her clit, which was hard to ignore.

“I’m not...sure what you mean,” she admitted, looking up at the Demon.

“Well, one of us will be here,” he explained, slipping a finger into her wet folds. She gasped as he fucked into her while Steve played with her clit. “Mm, so wet...and the other…”

She jumped a little as he slipped his finger out of her and down further. “No!” her eyes widened a little as she shoved backwards against Steve’s chest. The wolf easily caught her as she closed her legs tightly, huddling into him.

The Demon jerked away from her like he had been smacked, eyes narrowing in confusion. “Evelin,” Steve whispered gently, wrapping her up in his arms. The heat of him helped to calm her trembling body.

“Don’t!” she yelped when the Demon reached for her. “Don’t touch me!”

The confusion in his eyes cleared and he suddenly seemed to understand. “Someone...someone hurt you there...didn’t they?” he asked with his eyes flashing white for a quick second.

She hid her face in Steve’s shoulder, trying to even out her breathing. Flashbacks danced through her mind for the first time in a long time. Disgusting memories that made tears sting the corners of her eyes. Shaking her head, it wasn’t until warmth wrapped all around her that she came back to the real world.

Opening her eyes, she found herself sandwiched between the two men. The heat from the two of them was more intense than she thought possible. They moved her until she was lying on her side with the two men framing her.

“It’s okay, Evelin,” the Demon behind her whispers, gently running his fingers across her back. “Let’s stop. We can talk after you’ve gotten some rest.”

She slowly closed her eyes, feeling her pounding heart calming with every moment. A blanket was pulled up over her and she started to drift off. She was so weary that she didn’t even realize when the two men left the room.

* * *

Steve slowly closed the door to his room so as not to wake the sleeping human. He gestured with his head and the two of them headed for Bucky’s unofficial room at the manor. Neither one of them dared speak until the door was firmly closed behind them.

“You need to apologize to her the second she wakes up!” Steve demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

Bucky wasn’t listening. He had his metal arm crossed over his chest while he was holding his chin with the other, deep in thought. “Hm? Oh, yes, of course I’ll apologize,” he waved the thought away, going back to his perplexed look. “Where did she get those scars, Steve?”

“From the village past the forest,” Steve sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed to cover his face with his hands. His blood was still thrumming loudly in his ears, demanding things of him that he just couldn’t think about. Evelin had done a fantastic job taking care of him in his agitated state. “They’re some religious cult full of extreme zealots. She was running from them when we found her on the last full moon.”

Bucky looked at Steve with those swirling white and black eyes. He had something up his sleeve, the wolf could tell, and was plotting. “I’m not saying I’m an expert on the subject,” the Demon started, pulling something out of his pocket. Steve was a little shocked when a small red devil with wings stood up on the palm of his hand. “But those look like ritualistic cuts.”

He started speaking in a very guttural, ugly language to the imp. Steve winced when the man’s polyphonic voice hurt the wolf’s sensitive ears. The imp chittered back before jumping up into the air and promptly disappearing.

“Ritualistic cuts?” Steve asked once the imp was gone. Well, Steve assumed he was gone but the little thing could be just flying around invisible. “What does that mean?”

Bucky shook his head, soft curls bouncing with the motion. “I’m not sure but I’ve been summoned by cults that have the same cuts,” he explained, sitting down on the bed next to the wolf. “I sent one of my familiars out to keep an eye on the village and report back any findings.”

Steve smiled gently at the Demon. Through the devious fasade, the man was quite caring. It was odd but the Demon really hated sexual assault and rape. He wanted people to explore sexuality freely and without any fears. It’s one of the reasons the man came to the mortal realm to visit.

“You’re a big softy,” Steve teased, bumping shoulders with the other man.

Bucky laughed, pushing back playfully. “You’re one to talk, you mutt!” he shot back with a poorly veiled smile. “How do you feel?”

Steve was a little shocked by the change of subject but just sighed. “A little antsy and basically ready to go any time,” he said honestly. “Evelin’s been good to me. I just don’t want her to feel bad that she can’t help me tomorrow.”

Steve knew that what Bucky had said earlier was very true. The closer he got to the full moon...the more violent and detached from reality he would become. There was a reason he kept the company of creatures who were durable and not afraid of a fight. He shuddered to think that he might accidentally rip the woman’s throat out during one of his full moon fits.

The Demon nodded in understanding. “I think you should sit her down and explain the situation to her bluntly. It’s a matter of safety.”

The wolf gave a heavy sigh. He knew the Demon was right. The risk of harm to the woman was far too high the closer he got to the full moon.

“Until then,” the Demon started, standing up and brushing his clothing off. “Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving and you look like you could use a run.”

Steve perked up. “Yeah, that’d be nice.”

* * *

_Release me…_

The words echoed through Evelin’s mind as she stood in a black void. She blinked a few times, turning her head this way and that. There was nothing...just...endless black. It was the kind of tangible black that you wanted to reach out and rip away. Almost like the black curtains that covered the windows of the manors.

_Release me…_

“Who’s there?” Evelin asked, shocked by the sound of her own voice. It reverberated through the space, bouncing around endlessly.

The human jumped when a flame lit somewhere in the distance. It was far enough away that she couldn’t see it flickering, just...that there was light. She took a hesitant step forward. There was nowhere else to go.

It seemed like she walked for eons but as she got closer she came to realize that there were two flames. She felt her skin prickle in anticipation but...not fear. She wasn’t afraid of the darkness. It felt almost...familiar.

The sound of a dog’s bark sounded up ahead. She jumped a little when something skittered in between her feet; she looked down with just enough time to see a long furry rodent stop about an arms distance away. It looked at her with curious, intelligent eyes before turning and bounding off towards the lights.

Evelin felt energy ripple through her and she ran after the creature. The barking became louder, more guttural, as she grew closer to the lights. Her breath heaved out of her chest with the exertion but she didn’t dare stop until she had found the source of the light.

Slowing to a walk, Evelin’s eyes focused on the middle of the two lights. She realized the lights were torches and they were being held up by two stone arms. Between the two arms stood the statue of a woman who held out two more arms. One hand held a knife while the other held a chain with an ornate key dangling from the end. She wore a crown that had a circle with maze-like patterns framed by two crescent moons.

Evelin flinched a little when a snake slithered up over the statue’s shoulder. It was a big snake too, one of the kinds that could squeeze a child to death. Another bark had her jumpy as a big, black dog came from the shadows to sit next to the statue. It had piercing yellow eyes that seemed to look straight through her.

With a flash of light, the statue’s eyes opened. They shed a bright purple light that made Evelin cover her face quickly. She screamed out in terror even as those two words echoed through her head.

_Release me!_

“I don’t understand!” she shouted over the echo. “Who are you?!”

Evelin uncovered her eyes as two more heads appeared from the sides of the main statue. They were holding the torches out and their eyes were just as bright as they illuminated the area a little better. The human realized she was standing on a road that forked two different directions. The two side heads lit up the two roads ahead while the face that pointed forward lit the one behind Evelin.

_Release me!_

Evelin jolted awake with a start.

Her body was slick with sweat and her heart was racing as she looked around at the room. She took stock of some familiar things. It helped a little to calm her nerves.

“Damn it,” she muttered, covering her face with her hands. She thought of Natasha and urned for her to be here. She would know what Evelin’s dreams meant. That or she would make a potion for sleep.

Evelin kicked the blankets off of her and grabbed the robe that was hanging on a hook next to the bed. She walked out into the quiet hallway. It was odd to find the manor so quiet at night. There was usually the sound of Clint snickering over some prank he had just pulled; Natasha was constantly making something in the kitchen or her potions room; Ben and Steve were usually in the living room lounging while talking about something trivial; and Evelin felt a little lonely without all of that.

She perked up as she was walking down the stairs. The smell of cooking meat was drifting through the air. She followed it until she found herself standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Steve was standing in front of the stove, laughing lightly, with Bucky’s arms wrapped around his waist, chin resting on the blond’s shoulder.

Everything from the night before came rushing back in a wave of guilt and embarrassment. She turned to leave but didn’t make it very far. “Evelin, good morning,” the Demon piped up, catching her by surprise. “Come sit. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Her eyes narrowed a little as she looked at the sweet-as-pie Demon. She didn’t trust him. She was mentally kicking herself in the butt for falling into that trance earlier. It didn’t help that Steve was so comfortable around the creature, which set her at ease naturally.

She sat down at the island in the middle of the kitchen. Bucky placed a cup of coffee in front of her and sat down on the chair across the table. Evelin refused to make eye contact with the man; her heart was racing from both the dream and to the awkwardness of her guilt.

“I’m sorry.”

Evelin nearly choked on her first sip of coffee when Bucky spoke up. It was almost like he waited for that precise moment. “Pardon?” Evelin coughed out, taking a napkin that was offered by Steve and wiping at her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated as if it were the most natural thing for a Demon to say. “We should have discussed that beforehand. I was...caught up in trying to comfort you the only way I know how.”

“Through sex?” Evelin asked, feeling a little suspicious.

Bucky ran a hand through his hair, looking a little uncomfortable. “In my defense,” he started as he ran his hand down the back of his neck. “I _am_ the Demon Lord of Lust... _however_ that’s not an excuse to forget my manners. It’s been a while since I’ve had any contact with a human. I forget about your kind’s hangups with sex.”

Offended, Evelin glares at the man. “I do not have _hangups with sex_ ,” she snapped, slamming her cup down a little harder than she had wanted. The slight jolt of the Demon’s body gave her a sick sense of satisfaction. “I was sodomized without consent from an early age.”

There was a deafening silence broken only by the sound of bacon sizzling. She made intense eye contact with the Demon just to make sure he understood that she wasn’t happy. Her hand clenched around her mug until her knuckles were white and she had the distinct feeling of dread that flooded her chest and belly; it made her want to run away. But she didn’t. She stood her ground.

“Rape,” Bucky said after a few tense moments. “That’s called rape, Evelin. You were raped.”

The word, truthfully, was new to Evelin. She hadn’t thought what had happened to her had a word other than...sodomy. That’s what the men who had called it. Well, that and _punishment_. Why she was being punished...she still didn’t quite understand.

There was another moment of silence as she let her worldview shift to accommodate the fact that what they had done was not just horrific but monstrous. “What did I do to deserve that?” she finally found herself asking.

The look on Steve’s face as he rushed over to wrap her up in his arms was heartbreaking. He hid her from the world in his strong arms and potent scent, causing her eyes to sting with unshed tears. She wasn’t sure why she wanted to cry, honestly. It’s not like she could undo what had been done to her; what’s done was done and she had to accept the reality of her past.

She was happy in the manor. She was learning to read and write; she had learned how to forage with Natasha; she was learning to cook; and she was learning to love herself as a person not just as something to own and use. So if she were so happy, why were their tears running down her face.

“Nothing,” Steve said, squeezing her tightly. “What they did to you was a crime and horrific. They should be ashamed of themselves for doing such a horrible thing to you.”

There was a growl in the sound of his voice that rumbled through his chest and into her body. His tone said he would like to rip the throat out of anyone who dared touch her. It made her feel a lot better.

She gave a quick glance to the Demon across the table from around Steve’s muscular arm. He seemed lost in thought, staring out the window above the sink in thought. His eyes were those swirling pools of white and black again. She couldn’t read his facial expression because of just how alien they were.

Steve pulled away only to go over and flip the bacon. She felt a little guilty for throwing all of that in Bucky’s face. It wasn’t his fault; he harbored no blame in the abuse she experienced. Her chest hurt with the guilt of not apologizing but she also felt like she shouldn’t have to apologize.

As soon as she opened her mouth to apologize, Bucky spoke first. “Let me apologize again,” he sighed, eyes going back to the steely blue of his human form. “I fear that I am disconnected from the plights of humans. I can truly say that I haven’t cared enough to learn about the culture. The only interactions I have with humans involves contracts and deals.”

“I shouldn’t have snapped at you,” Evelin said even as a plate of food was being placed in front of her. “It’s not your fault for what happened to me.”

“While I appreciate your level of empathy...you need not apologize. I was in the wrong for being so dismissive and ignorant of your situation,” Bucky clarified, smiling up at Steve when a place was set in front of him as well. “Never apologize for your feelings, Evelin. You are allowed to feel what you feel; you are allowed to call out those who are ignorant or dismissive of your feelings.”

She wasn’t sure why but his words made the guilt wash out of her body like a dam breaking. “I have to admit, I would never have expected such great advice from a Demon,” she smiled, glad when he smiled back.

He shrugged. “I’m not really what others would call a _normal_ Demon, truthfully.”

Evelin had long since gotten the feeling that all of the creatures who resided at the manor weren’t typical for any of their kinds. It made her wonder about each of them in turn. She had never asked because she hadn’t wanted to pry but she was starting to get the feeling that she should start asking questions soon.

“Evelin,” Steve spoke up as soon as he sat down at the table. “We wanted to talk to you about tomorrow night.”

Looking up from her plate, she took a sip of her coffee. The warmth seeped all the way through every fiber of her being. There was a hesitance in Steve’s face as he glanced at the Demon. Bucky nodded in reassurance, a piece of bacon sticking out of his mouth almost comically.

“This isn’t because I don’t care for you, okay? I’m just being honest and upfront before the moon is at its fullest,” he started, stumbling over his words. Steve only ever did that when he was talking about something sexual or afraid to hurt someone’s feelings. “You will have to stay here while Bucky and I go out into the forest. I can’t take the chance of hurting you.”

Evelin, despite his reassurances, felt hurt. She wanted to be able to help Steve at his most vulnerable. “Have I...done something wrong?” she asked, hating the way her voice trembled. She was obviously in a very vulnerable state at that moment.

Eyes wide, Steve reached out to take her hand. He was so hot to the touch it felt like he might burn her. “No, of course not!” he quickly interjected before she had even finished the sentence. “It has nothing to do with you, Evelin! It’s just...during the full moon I...I lose all humanity and become nothing more than a wild animal. I’d…” His voice broke a little at whatever thought his mind conjured up.

“What Steve is trying to say,” Bucky interjected when it was obvious that the wolf was stuck. “Is that he doesn’t want to seriously hurt you and that is very likely. He runs with me or Ben because it’s very hard to kill us. Humans, on the other hand, are quite frail.”

Evelin knew he was speaking logically but it still didn’t keep her stubbornness from rearing its ugly head. Her mind wandered to possible options. “What if…” she said slowly, thinking about a book that Natasha had on one of her bookshelves. “I come up with a way to make myself more durable?”

Both men looked at her in equal parts confused and suspicious. “How, exactly, would you do that?” the Demon asked with interest in his glittering eyes.

Evelin finished off her coffee, a little spiteful towards the man. “I guess you’ll just have to find out now won’t you?” she teased, kissing Steve as she passed by.

A strong arm reached out to wrap around her waist, pulling her against the Demon’s side. She could have gotten away, he wasn’t holding her too tightly, but she decided to just look at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Where’s my kiss?” he smirked, showing off incredibly straight, white teeth.

“You are the most entitled prick I think I’ve ever met,” she huffed in faux annoyance. In truth, he was actually starting to grow on her...the same way that mold grows on someone but still.

His grin was cheeky. “I get that a lot.”

With a sigh, she leaned down and kissed his nose. By the look on his face, he was quite shocked by the innocent display. “Happy?” she taunted playfully before pulling away to leave the room.

Just as she exited the room, she heard Bucky say, “I like her.” It was just loud enough to hear and it made her smile despite herself. He was brass, rough around the edges and quite insufferable but he wasn’t without his charm.

Evelin went straight for Natasha’s workroom. It was just another bedroom but had all the things a witch could ever need to make potions, conduct rituals and spells, and dry all kinds of herbs. She went over to the bookshelf to reach up to the top, which is where Nat kept all of her ancient books. She pulled down the book that was written specifically to help werewolves.

This was a total shot in the dark, truthfully.

Natasha had told Evelin that it was useless for her to try and read the books because the writing was magic in nature. Only witches, warlocks and sorcerers could read the text because they could see magic. It was the same way that Natasha could feel the ley lines in the ground; Evelin would probably find it a hopeless endeavor to try.

Setting the giant book on the wooden table in the middle of the room, Evelin took a deep breath. She opened the book and her eyes widened when she found herself looking at a page full of pictures, writing and scrawled notes on the margins in multiple different handwritings. She felt relief and excitement pass through her.

She didn’t have the time to contemplate the repercussions of this new discovery as she started to flip through the book. She found the page she was looking for about halfway through. It was a potion to allow human mates of Alpha Werewolves to survive the night of the full moon.

Taking a moment to grab a pad of paper, she quickly wrote down the ingredients she would need. It wasn’t too complicated. It was more like a baking recipe, truthfully, and Evelin had watched Nat enough times to know how to do most of the things in here.

Taking the paper, she grabbed a leather satchel from the wall and filled it with tools she would need for harvesting. Some of the ingredients were familiar but there were others she didn’t know. She decided there was no time like the present to figure it out.

She quickly slipped down into the living area but the boys were nowhere around so she had no issue sneaking out into the light of the morning. Her eyes took a moment to adjust as she made her way down the road to the forest. She stopped right at the tree line, staring at the tall, looming trees.

She wasn’t scared. No, as she stepped into the treeline, she felt...at home. It was definitely new to her. One of her lovers was usually with her when she went into the forest so being alone should scare her...right?

Something made her stop a few feet into the treeline. It wasn’t a thought, necessarily, but more like a feeling. She crouched down to look at the ground. Placing her hand in the mossy undergrowth, she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Like a torch being lit, the ley line sparked to life under her palm. Evelin gasped at the feeling of warmth that flooded through her body causing her to jerk away. It almost felt like she had been...collecting the ley line magic. Power, raw and untethered, flooded through her body and as she opened her eyes, bright purple light snaked through the forest floor, up the trunks of trees, in the leaves and further into the forest.

Her mouth hung open in shock.

Looking at the list, she placed her hand on the largest vein of ley energy and whispered her intent. Like being pulled, her mind’s eye charted a path through the forest to a bush about a five minute walk to the north. She stood up and headed in that direction.

It took her about five minutes to come to the bush. She looked at her notes and realized she needed the flowers, which were not in bloom yet. Evelin felt the defeat well in her chest as she sat back on the ground. “Damn,” she whispered, running a hand down her face.

Reaching out, she touched one of the waxy leaves. Like a spark of electricity, the ley energy she had stored shot out and raced through the bush’s leaves and branches. Right before her eyes, the bush seemed to bud and flower as if time were being rushed forward.

Her heart thundered in her chest. Evelin proceeded to pluck the flowers she would need for the potion. It was hard not to contemplate the weight of this new discovery but she didn’t have time.

Collecting with by very quickly with the new ability to search the ley lines. The only problem was the last herb was up the side of a cliff. She stood at the bottom looking up at the little plant sticking out about twenty feet up. There were plenty of roots so, in theory, she could climb up but it was precarious.

“That’s a long way up,” she muttered to herself, looking down one side to see if there were any more plants. This seemed to be the only plant in the whole forest.

“Ya gonna climb all the way up there?”

“No, I don’t think so I-” Evelin froze, looking down slowly until her eyes landed on the small raccoon. It was standing up on two legs, staring at her with clever eyes. “Um…” she looked around. “Did you just talk to me?”

“Who else would it be? The nymphs are too fuckin’ scared of ya and the pixies know better,” the raccoon snarked, putting its tiny little hands on its hips. “Ya reek of magic, by the way, but ya don’t seem like yer very strong, huh?”

She blinked a few times, looking around as if she could see the nymphs and pixies. “Uh...no, I’m not very strong,” she admitted, feeling a bit of insanity that she was talking to a raccoon. Then, her brain lit up with an amazing idea. “I’m not very strong but...you, my friend, look quite strong and nimble! I bet you could climb up there and grab those leaves with no problem!”

The raccoon scoffed. “Yer damn right I could but...what’s in it fer me?” he asked with a cheeky grin that reminded her of a certain Demon.

Evelin contemplated his question. “What do you want?” she finally asked, crouching down to be more on level with the raccoon.

The raccoon tapped his chin, contemplating. “I need a favor. Ya see, I got this friend, right?” he explained, gesturing with his hands emphatically. “He’s had his eye on ya for a bit. Every time ya come into the woods with tha’ witchy friend of yers, he’s got his eye on ya. I just want ya to meet him.”

Evelin stood up, looking at the cliff then back to the raccoon. “Okay, I see no problem in meeting your friend,” she shrugs, holding out a small stoppered jar. “I need this jar filled, please.”

He snatched the jar out of her hand before bounding up the cliffside with the grace expected of his species. Within seconds, he was right next to the bush, plucking leaves and shoving them into the jar. It didn’t even take him two minutes to hand the jar back to her with a smug smirk on his surprisingly smug face.

“Thank you...um...what do I call you, friend?” she asked with a smile, setting the jar in her satchel.

“Rocket,” he said easily, placing his hands on his hips again.

“Well, Rocket, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to complete my list without your help,” she chuckled, gesturing vaguely. “Lead the way to your friend.”

She followed after the raccoon, watching with fascination as he switched between walking on two legs and then four when it suited him. Now that he had brought the watching fey to her attention, she was more aware of the small sparkles that dotted at the corners of her vision. She could hear giggling in the trees, whispers in the wind and shadows snuck around her quietly.

“So, I don’t want to be impolite but...what are you?”

Rocket slowed down so they could walk side-by-side. “The truth? Not really sure. One day I’m just rootin’ around like a normal raccoon and the next...I’m talkin’ and smart,” he shrugged, crossing his arms over his small chest. “This forest’s magic. Strange things happen here all tha time.”

Evelin could _feel_ what he was talking about as she focused on the ley lines again. They saturated the entire forest with their energy, tendrils spreading out through the ground and even in the moss. She could even sense animals and, now that she was paying attention, fey creatures.

She stopped when the ley lines showed her something...darker. It took Rocket a second to realize she wasn’t beside him. “What’s up?” he asked, sounding a little exasperated that it was taking so long.

“Darkness,” she whispered, realizing the dark figures on the ley line were almost on them. “Dark figures...coming our way...we need to-”

Rocket tackled her to the ground with surprising force as an arrow shot right through where Evelin’s shoulders had just been. “Come on, follow me!” Rocket shouted, bounding off in a different direction.

Evelin scrambled to her feet even as a hand was wrapping up in her hair, jerking her back. “Ah, ah, now let’s not make a fuss, Eve,” a familiar voice whispered into her ear. “You’re coming back home with us. The Father is awaiting your return.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who commented! I want you to know they make my day (sometimes my week) and they keep me going!


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